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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1992
STATUTORY EMPLOYEES RETRAINING FUND TO BE SET UP
A BILL INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNEDAY) SOUGHT TO PROVIDE RETRAINING COURSES TO HELP WORKERS WHO WERE DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING PROCESS ΤΟ FIND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT.
THE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING BILL 1992 ALSO SEEKS TO SET UP A STATUTORY RETRAINING FUND FINANCED BY A LEVY IMPOSED ON EMPLOYERS WHO IMPORT WORKERS TO CHANNEL ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO AUGMENT THE PROVISION OF RETRAINING FOR LOCAL WORKERS.
IT PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH AN EMPLOYEES
RETRAINING BOARD ΤΟ
ADMINISTER THE FUND.
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID: "THE BOARD SHALL BR A TRIPARTITE BODY CONSISTING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF EMPLOYERS, EMPLOYEES AND THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING OR MANPOWER PLANNING.
"APART FROM MANAGING THE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING FUND, THE BOARD SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONSIDERING THE PROVISION OF RETRAINING COURSES DESIGNED FOR THE BENEFIT OF LOCAL EMPLOYEES AND DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF RETRAINING ALLOWANCE TO BE PAID TO THOSE EMPLOYEES AS TRAINEES.
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THE BILL FURTHER PROVIDES FOR TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH ENSURE THAT THE LEVY COLLECTED UNDER THE 1992 GENERAL IMPORTATION SCHEME COULD BE CHANNELLED DIRECTLY TO THE STATUTORY FUND AND THAT THE FUNDS ADVANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO FINANCE THE PILOT RETRAINING COURSES BEFORE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BOARD COULD BE RECOVERED.
PENDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATUTORY FUND, MR CHAN SAID, A PROVISIONAL RETRAINING FUND BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR TO CONSIDER AND PLAN SUITABLE RETRAINING COURSES.
AN ADVANCE OF $50 MILLION HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE PURPOSE.
TEN NEW PILOT RETRAINING COURSES WILL START EARLY NEXT MONTH.
UPON PASSAGE OF THE BILL, THE EMPLOYEES RETRAINING BOARD WOULD HAVE AN ESTIMATED INCOME OF AT LEAST $120 MILLION IN THE FOLLOWING 12 MONTHS.
MORE RETRAINING COURSES ARE EXPECTED TO BE ORGANISED AS A RESULT, HE ADDED.
DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.
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