XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 43

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

PROBLEMS ARISE IN GRANTING NEW HOLIDAYS

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DIFFICULTIES LIE IN THE WAY OF GRANTING NEW HOLIDAYS OR DESIGNATING NEW ONES. THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER THE HON RON BRIDGE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR BRIDGE NOTED THAT THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG HAD LAST YEAR PROPOSED THAT MAY DAY BE CELEBRATED AS A HOLIDAY IN RECOGNITION OF LABOUR'S CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY.

MORE RECENTLY, THE ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE PROFESSORS HAD PROPOSED A HOLIDAY ON THE BIRTHDAY OF CONFUCIUS IN HONOUR OF TEACHERS.

MR HUI ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER DESIGNATING A MONDAY IN NOVEMBER, FOLLOWING THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL FOR THE ELDERLY, A PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN RECOGNITION OF THE IR CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY AND TO PROMOTE RESPECT FOR THEM. THE HOLIDAY WOULD UTILISE ONE OF THE UNDESIGNATED STATUTORY HOLIDAYS.

MR BRIDGE SAID HE WAS SYMPATHETIC TO ANY SUGGESTION TO PROMOTE RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY. HOWEVER, HAVING LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY AT THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL, HE WAS AFRAID THAT IT DID GIVE RISE TO PROBLEMS.

+AT THE PRACTICAL LEVEL, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHICH OF THE EXISTING HOLIDAYS PROVIDED FOR UNDER THE HOLIDAYS ORDINANCE OR THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE COULD IN FACT BE CHANGED TO THE MONDAY FOLLOWING THE THIRD SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER, HE SAID.

MOST OF THESE EXISTING HOLIDAYS CELEBRATED EITHER ESTABLISHED WESTERN HOLIDAYS, TRADITIONAL CHINESE FESTIVALS OR SPECIFIC EVENTS.

+ONE MIGHT PERHAPS ARGUE FOR DROPPING THE MONDAY FOLLOWING THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY, OR THE SATURDAY BEFORE LIBERATION DAY, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THESE ADDITIONAL DAYS IS TO PROVIDE TWO LONG HOLIDAY WEEKENDS DURING THE HOT WEATHER, MR BRIDGE EXPLAINED,

HE SAID THAT IN PRACTICE, THEREFORE, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE AN ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY AND HONG KONG ALREADY HAD MORE STATUTORY HOLIDAYS THAN MOST OF ITS ASIAN NEIGHBOURS, WITH WHOM IT HAD TO COMPETE ECONOMICALLY.

+EACH ADDITIONAL HOLIDAY OF COURSE HAS A SIGNIFICANT COST IN TERMS OF LOST PRODUCTION, HE POINTED OUT.

*THE MAJOR PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IS THE NUMBER OF GROUPS WHICH, IT CAN BE ARQUED, DESERVE RECOGNITION OF THIS KIND, MR ER IDGE ADDED.

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