XN000022-1985-12-18 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985

INSTEAD, HE THOUGHT THAT THE PRESENT BILL FELL IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSISTENT POLICY OF IMPLEMENTING SUCH CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENT IN A REALISTIC AND GRADUAL MANNER SO THAT ANY ADAPTATION OR PLANNING DIFFICULTIES FACED BY THE EMPLOYERS COULD BE MINIMISED.

HE ADDED THAT BEARING IN MIND THAT THE PROPOSED SCHEME IMPOSED RESPONSIBILITY ON ALL EMPLOYERS ALIKE IRRESPECTIVE

OF THEIR SIZES, ITS IMPACT ON THE SMALL EMPLOYER IN PARTICULAR SHOULD BY NO MEANS BE UNDER-ESTIMATED.

HE HOPED THAT EXISTING LAWS AND REGULATIONS WHICH WERE CONDUCIVE TO INVESTMENT WOULD NOT BE CHANGED DRACONICALLY AND ABRUPTLY AND BE CHANGED ONLY IF CIRCUMSTANCES SO WARRANTED, WHILE HARD WORK AND LOYALTY WOULD BE DULY RECOGNISED AND REWARDED.

THE HON SZETO WAH PRAISED THE SWIFT PROCESS OF THE BILL SAYING THAT IT SHOWED THE RESPONSIBLE AND SENSIBLE MANNER AMONG THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS IN WORK ING OUT A COMPROMISE.

HE SAID AS HONG KONG HAD ENTERED INTO THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, SUCH SPIRIT AND ATTITUDE SHOULD BE FURTHER DEVELOPED TO PROMOTE HARMONIOUS LABOUR RELATIONS, WHICH WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE MAINTENANCE OF ITS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

HE REGARDED AS IRRESPONSIBLE AND CONTRADICTORY TO THE INTERESTS OF EMPLOYEES AT LARGE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO DELAY PASSING OR DISCARD THE BILL.

HE SAID THE NEW LEGISLATION WOULD NOT HINDER THE SETTING UP OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME BUT WOULD IN FACT PAVE THE WAY FOR ITS ESTABLISHMENT.

THE HON ROSANNA TAM SAID THE PRINCIPLE AND SPIRIT OF THE BILL WAS MOST ENCOURAGING, BUT URGED THE AUTHORITIES TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER DELETING THE AGE LIMITS WHEN REVIEWING THE SCHEME AFTER ONE YEAR.

THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG SAID THE AMENDMENT BILL PROVIDED MORE PROTECTION FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND WAS A FURTHER ENHANCEMENT OF THE EXISTING LABOUR LEGISLATIONS.

HE SAID THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT SCHEME WOULD ASSIST IN PROMOTING A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG THE WORKERS TOWARDS THE IR EMPLOYERS THUS REDUCING THE MOBILITY OF THE WORKFORCE.

THE BILL ALSO PLUGGED THE LOOPHOLES IN THE EXISTING LEGISLATION AND MIGHT HELP MINIMISE THE OCCURRENCE OF LABOUR DISPUTES, HE SAID.

MR TAM CALLED FOR AN EARLY ENACTMENT OF THE BILL TO PREVENT WORKERS WITH LONG SERVICES, IN PARTICULAR THE OLDER WORKERS, BEING DISMISSED BEFORE ITS ENACTMENT.

/THE HUN