XN000022-1980-07-09 — Page 19

17

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1980

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT, THEIR FIGURES COINCIDED ALMOST TO THE DOLLAR WITH THOSE PREPARED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.

AMENDMENTS TO INCREASE THE LEVELS OF COMPENSATION WERE ACCORDINGLY MADE AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE.

DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI WELCOMED EVERY IMPROVEMENT MADE TO THE LABOUR LEGISLATION WHICH HE SAID WILL ASSIST US TO REPUDIATE THE CRITICISMS SO OFTEN LEVELLED AT US BY OUR OVERSEAS TRADING RIVALS OF UNFAIR COMPETITION BASED ON SWEATED LABOUR.+

HE NOTED THE BILL PROVIDES WIDER PROTECTION FOR INJURED WORKERS, INCLUDING ALL SALARIED EMPLOYEES IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR EARNINGS, AND RAISES THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM LEVELS OF COMPENSATION FOR DEATH AND PERMANENT DISABILITY.

IN ADDITION, EMPLOYERS WILL NOW BE LIABLE TO MEET THE INITIAL COST OF FITTING, REPAIR AND RENEWAL OF PROSTHESIS AND SURGICAL APPLIANCES FOR INJURED WORKERS FOR 10 YEARS.

AS EMPLOYERS HAVE TO SHOULDER ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BURDEN AS A RESULT OF THE NEW PROVISIONS, HE HOPED THEY WOULD BE INDUCED TO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN THE IR WORKPLACE.

DR HO ALSO SUGGESTED THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE MORE LEGISLATIVE ATTENTION TO THE LIABILITY OF SUB-CONTRACTORS AS WORKERS OFTEN EXPERIENCE GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN CLAIMING COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJURIES UNDER THE EXISTING SUB-CONTRACTING SYSTEM OF PRODUCTION.

THE HON ALLEN LEE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION WOULD BE FURTHER ADJUSTED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE INCREASES IN WAGES AND COST OF LIVING WHICH OCCURRED DURING 1979-80.

HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN EXPORTS SINCE 1974 WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF ITS INDUSTRIOUS WORKERS.

+EVEN THOUGH THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE RECOGNISED BY CONTINUOUS RISES IN THEIR EARNINGS, ONE AREA TO WHICH WE MUST PAY MORE ATTENTION IS THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION PAYABLE IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS.+

MR LEE ALSO SUPPORTED THE REMOVAL FROM THE BILL THE WAGE CEILING OF $5 000 A MONTH FOR NON-MANUAL WORKERS TO COVER ALL EMPLOYEES IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR EARNINGS.

FURTHERMORE, HE FELT IT WAS SENSIBLE TO RETITLE THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE+ TO +EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE+ AS SOME PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT IN THE PAST THAT WORKMEN+ MEANT ONLY MALE WORKERS.