XN000022-1985-12-18 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985

A FEW OF THEM ALSO CALLED FOR THE SETTING UP OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME.

THE HON WONG PO-YAN, CONVENER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AD HOC GROUP, SAID THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF A LONG SERVICE PAYMENT TO AN EMPLOYEE WHOSE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT WAS TERMINATED BY DISMISSAL HAD ATTRACTED A GREAT DEAL OF GENERAL INTEREST.

REPRESENTATIONS BOTH IN WRITING AND IN PERSON HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND THE VIEWS, FEARS AND ASPIRATIONS OF BOTH THE EMPLOYERS AND THE EMPLOYEES WERE WELL TAKEN AND UNDERSTOOD, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, MR WONG SAID: +HAVING REGARD TO THE INTENTIONS OF THE BILL AND, BEFORE ITS INCEPTION, THE CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN TO THE ISSUE IN THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD AND THE CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT, IT IS OUR FIRM BELIEF THAT THE BILL IS DEFINITELY A POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION,+

+ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE TO THE ENTIRE SATISFACTION TO BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS, THE STAGE AT PRESENT REACHED IS A GOOD COMPROMISE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, + HE SAID.

IN GIVING FULL SUPPORT TO THE BILL, THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG SAID: +1 SUPPORT IT NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS INHERENT QUALITIES BUT ALSO BECAUSE IT MARKS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND LABOUR IN THE SEARCH OF COMMON GROUNDS FOR THE COMMON GOOD.+

HE SAID THE RATIONALE OF THE BILL WAS TO OFFER SOME DEGREE OF PROTECTION TO THE GROUP OF EMPLOYEES OVER 40 YEARS OF AGE, WHO WERE MORE VULNERABLE IF THEY WERE DISMISSED THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN AND WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION.

IT HAD ALSO BEEN POSTULATED THAT 40 WAS POSSIBLY THE START OF A DOWN HILL PATH BEYOND WHICH IT MIGHT BE PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND AND ADJUST TO NEW JOBS, HE ADDED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE BILL WAS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THIS PURPOSE AND THE PACKAGE ADDRESSED FULLY THIS MAIN RATIONALE. ADDING THAT IT WOULD BE MISLEADING AT BEST TO CLAMOUR FOR FURTHER STRAYING FROM WHAT THE BILL WAS DESIGNED FOR.

MR CHEONG CAUTIONED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD NOT ENTER INTO ANY REVIEW OF THE BILL IN FUTURE WITH A CLOSED MIND.

+ANY REVIEW SHOULD, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, BE ACCOMPANIED BY OBJECTIVE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ON THE OVERALL CUMULATIVE COST EFFECTS ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, HE SAID.

THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE BILL WAS MAINLY TO GIVE STATUTORY RECOGNITION TO AN ELDERLY EMPLOYEE'S LOYALTY TO HIS EMPLOYER AND COMPARATIVELY LIMITED PROSPECTS IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET, IF DISMISSED.

/+THIS WOULJ