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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1992
SPEECH BY SEM ON RETIREMENT PROTECTION SYSTEM
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF A SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, WHEN WINDING UP A MOTION DEBATE ON A COMMUNITY-WIDE RETIREMENT PROTECTION SYSTEM IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,
I SHOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING ALL THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THIS DEBATE. THEIR COMMENTS HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY NOTED AND WILL FORM AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE RESPONSE THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO OUR CONSULTATION PAPER. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WILL, NO DOUBT, ALSO FIND THIS DEBATE A USEFUL REFERENCE IN FORMULATING THEIR OWN VIEWS AND RESPONSES.
THE CONSULTATION PAPER ON A COMMUNITY-WIDE RETIREMENT PROTECTION SYSTEM WAS PUBLISHED LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS AGO. GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS ARE ALREADY EXPRESSING THEIR VIEWS. THIS IS AN ENCOURAGING SIGN. RETIREMENT PROTECTION IS A SUBJECT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND I WOULD URGE EVERYONE WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSALS OR TO SUGGEST ALTERNATIVES TO DO SO IN THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF MONTHS. IN THIS CONNECTION, I HAVE NOTED THE SUGGESTION FROM SOME MEMBERS FOR GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT A MORE PRO- ACTIVE FORM OF CONSULTATION AND TO STEP UP PUBLICITY ON OUR PROPOSALS. MY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN VARIOUS SEMINARS AND DISCUSSIONS, I MYSELF TOOK PART IN THE QUESTION AND ANSWER MEETING ORGANISED BY MR TAM YIU-CHUNG, MR PANG CHUN-HOI AND THE SIX LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD LAST WEEK. AND WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO DISTRICT BOARDS, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, BANKERS
ALSO ETC. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS OUR RESOURCES ALLOW AND WILL CONSIDER STEPPING UP PUBLICITY OF OUR PROPOSALS.
I DO NOT WISH TO PRE-EMPT THE CONSULTATION PROCESS IN ANY
WAY, BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THIS DEBATE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ON THREE ASPECTS OF THE CONSULTATION PAPER WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN THE SUBJECT OF CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC DEBATE.
IN
THE
THE FIRST OF THESE IS THE QUESTION OF A GUARANTEE OF SOME SORT FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS. MUCH CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED IN TODAY'S DEBATE AS WELL AS IN DIFFERENT QUARTERS ABOUT THE PERCEIVED NEED FOR A SCHEME OF GUARANTEE TO PROTECT CONTRIBUTORS AGAINST THE FAILURE OF RETIREMENT PROTECTION SCHEMES. IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT, SINCE THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING ΤΟ COMPEL EMPLOYEES TO PARTICIPATE RETIREMENT PROTECTION SCHEMES, IT IS ALSO INCUMBENT UPON GOVERNMENT TO GUARANTEE THE PRESERVATION OF THE ACCRUED RETIREMENT BENEFITS IN THE EVENT OF A SCHEME FAILING THROUGH MALFEASANCE OR MISMANAGEMENT. I AM AFRAID THAT I FIND THIS ARGUMENT LACKING IN LOGIC: IT IS RATHER LIKE SAYING THAT, SINCE THE GOVERNMENT COMPELS CHILDREN UNDER 15 TO GO TO SCHOOL, THE GOVERNMENT MUST GUARANTEE (MIND YOU, NOT JUST DO ITS BEST TO ENSURE, BUT GUARANTEE} THAT NO CHILD WOULD EVER BE INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT IN SCHOOL.
/LET ME
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