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EDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985
+THIS WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE BEST OF SOCIAL LEGISLATION GOVERNING THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS IN OTHER SOUTH-EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, HE SAID.
MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID HE SUPPORTED THE BILL ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD WOULD CONSIDER WHETHER THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT WOULD COVER CASES OF SUMMARY DISMISSAL AND RESIGNATIONS ON GROUNDS OF ILL-HEALTH, WHEN THE SCHEME WAS TO BE REVIEWED IN ONE YEAR'S TIME.
+THE PROPOSALS IN THIS AMENDMENT BILL MAY NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH AND THEREFORE NOT IDEAL, BUT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE BILL BE ENACTED QUICKLY TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF DISMISSALS IN ANTICIPATION OF ITS BECOMING LAW, HE ADDED.
THE HON HUI YIN-FAT SAID THE AGE LIMITS LAID DOWN IN THE PROPOSALS OF THE BILL WERE MOST UNREASONABLE, AND REQUESTED THE GOVERNMENT TO ASSURE ALL LABOUR ORGANISATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY THAT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WOULD BE CONDUCTED AFTER ITS
IMPLEMENTATION.
AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES FIELD, MR HUI SAID IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO POINT OUT THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND AS A PUBLIC LIABILITY TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.
THE HON MARTIN LEE SAID THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL WAS TO GIVE PROTECTION TO THE OLDER EMPLOYEES, BUT ON THE CONTRARY HE FOUND IT WOULD CREATE DIFFICULTY FOR THEM IN SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.
IT WAS BECAUSE UNDER THE BILL AN EMPLOYER WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO EMPLOY THE YOUNGER ONE, IF HE HAD A CHOICE, AS IT WOULD TAKE LONGER FOR THESE YOUNGER WORKERS TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, MR LEE SAID HE SUPPORTED THE BILL BEARING IN MIND THAT FROM THE EMPLOYEES' POINT OF VIEW, HALF A LOAF IS BETTER THAN NO BREAD, AND THAT THIS HAS THE SUPPORT OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES THROUGH CONSULTATIONS HELD WITH THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD.+
THE HON NGAI SHIU-KIT NOTEL THAT THE ABSENCE OF REASONABLE PROTECTION FOR THE EMPLOYEE DISMISSED FOR REASONS OTHER THAN REDUNDANCY HAD LONG BEEN CONSIDERED A SERIOUS SHORT-COMING IN HONG KONG'S LABOUR LEGISLATIONS.
+ IT IS, THEREFORE, HIGH TIME THAT THIS COUNCIL PROPOSED A LONG SERVICE PAYMENT TO GIVE BETTER AND IMMEDIATE PROTECTION TO OUR INDUSTRIOUS, EFFICIENT AND DISCIPLINED LABOUR FORCE, + HE SAID.
MR NGAI SAID HE DISAGREED THAT THE PROPOSED AGE LIMITS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD WERE DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST OR UNFAIR TO YOUNG WORKERS.
/ISTRA, HE