MEINESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1987
BUT HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE SCHEME
AT PRESENT DID HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS. FIRSTLY, THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH IT WAS PAYABLE WERE RATHER RESTRICTED; SECONDLY, THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT AT PRESENT FOR AN EMPLOYER TO FUND HIS LIABILITIES UNDER THE SCHEME.
It
"ON THE FIRST POINT, THE COVERAGE OF THE SCHEME WOULD BE EXTENDED CONSIDERABLY BY THE FORTHCOMING AMENDMENTS, MR BRIDGE SAID. "ON THE SECOND POINT, MANY EMPLOYERS WERE IN FACT TAKING STEPS TO COVER THEIR LSP LIABILITIES BY SETTING UP PRIVATE RETIREMENT SCHEMES.
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HE SAID THAT THIS RAPID INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE RETIREMENT SCHEMES WAS ENCOURAGING, ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE IT FURTHER WITH A PUBLICITY AND INFORMATION CAMPAIGN IN PARALLEL WITH THE MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE REGULATION OF PRIVATE SCHEMES.
TURNING TO PROGRESS ON LABOUR LEGISLATION, MR BRIDGE SAID THAT IT HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CONFLICTING INTERESTS OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, REQUIRING SOMETIMES DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS WITH BOTH SIDES.
THE GOVERNMENT HAD ENACTED NO LESS THAN 274 ITEMS OF LABOUR LEGISLATION IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND HONG KONG NOW COMPILED IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITH 48 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTIONS, A FIGURE WHICH COMPARED FAVOURABLY WITH MANY OF THE MORE ADVANCED COUNTRIES, E.G. JAPAN AND SINGAPORE.
HOWEVER, MR BRIDGE AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR WORKERS AS FAST AS HONG KONG'S GROWTH PERMITTED.
SHOULD
CONTINUE ECONOMIC
HE SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED BY THE RECENT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DECISION TO SET UP AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COUNCIL, WHOSE AIM WOULD BE TO ENHANCE SAFETY AWARENESS AND REDUCE THE TRAGICALLY HIGH NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS AT WORK.
"THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE OVER FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ADVISORY AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO EMPLOYERS AND SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY,' HE SAID.
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LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND WILL PROVIDE EMPLOYEES IN ALL
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