FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1986
10
CALL FOR COMMISSION TO STUDY FUND PROPOSAL
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THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD MET TODAY (FRIDAY) TO STUDY THE CONSULTATIVE PAPER ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF ESTABLISHING A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND IN HONG KONG,
CHAIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR TONY HAMMOND, MEMBERS HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION OF THE PAPER AND SUGGESTED THAT A COMMISSION SHOULD BE SET UP TO STUDY IN GREATER DETAIL VARIOUS MEANS OF PROVIDING SECURITY FOR OLD PEOPLE, IN PARTICULAR RETIRED WORKERS.
ALTHOUGH THE EMPLOYERS' REPRESENTATIVES DID NOT FAVOUR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND, IT WAS AGREED THIS SHOULD BE STUDIED BY THE COMMISSION AS ONE OF THE POSSIBLE
ONÉ SOLUTIONS.
MR HAMMOND UNDERTOOK TO PASS ON MEMBERS' VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR CONSIDERATION.
MEMBERS ALSO DISCUSSED A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES INCLUDING A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH AN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL, AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE AND THE CONTROL AND LABELLING OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES IN INDUSTRY.
THE BOARD SUPPORTED IN PRINCIPLE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL AND USEFUL VIEWS WERE EXCHANGED AS TO THE METHOD OF FINANCING THE PROPOSED COUNCIL. IT WAS AGREED THAT THE SAFETY COUNCIL SHOULD BE SET UP AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO THE METHODS OF FUNDING INCLUDING SUBVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
MEMBERS ALSO ENDORSED A PROPOSAL TO REVISE THE NAME OF THE BOARD'S COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION TO INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEE, IT AIMS TO REFLECT MORE ACCURATELY THE COMMITTEE'S SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES.
ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, MEMBERS ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD'S COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION IN MAKING
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING PROVISION OF THE LAW.
AS REGARDS THE PROPOSAL TO CONTROL AND LABEL HARMFUL SUBSTANCES, MEMBERS AGREED THAT LEGISLATION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO STRENGTHEN THE CONTROL OVER THE USE OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES IN FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS IN HONG KONG. DETAILED PROVISIONS OF THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS WOULD BE SENT TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION LATER.
MEMBERS FURTHER EXAMINED THE DRAFT REPORT OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD WHICH GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE WORK OF THE BOARD FOR THE PERIOD OF 1985 AND 1986. IT WAS AGREED THAT THE REPORT, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE AND BE AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO INTERESTED BODIES, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION.