XN000022-1991-07-17 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991

HOWEVER,

AND

HE

SAID

WERE

"IN

THESE

CUSTOMS

LINE

WITH

TRADITIONS AND

WERE WELL

OF THE

NEW

PROVISIONS THE ENSHRINED TERRITORIES ORDINANCE (CAP. 97) APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL"

FROM

THE WOMEN,

WELCOME SUGGESTIONS

AS ΤΟ HOW

THE

THE GOVERNMENT, HE ADDED, WOULD OF COURSE THE RURAL COMMUNITY,

SITUATION MAY BE IMPROVED.

INCLUDING

OF

AS REGARDS THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE ELIMINATION

MR LAM SAID THE LEGAL, ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS WERE

REQUIRED BEFORE COMPLEX AND, FOR THIS REASON, A CAREFUL STUDY WAS CONCLUSION COULD BE REACHED AS TO ITS APPLICATION TO HONG KONG.

A

HIGH

OR ΤΟ BE

VIEW OF THE IN THAT STATED MR LAM IN CONCLUSION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS ENJOYED BY HONG KONG WOMEN, A WORKING PARTY CONSULTATIVE BODY TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF WOMEN "DOES NOT SEEM SELF-EVIDENT, AND CAN ONLY BE CONSIDERED AS A LONG-TERM POLICY",

SEM ON IMPORTATION OF LABOUR

MANPOWER,

THE

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TRANSLATION

HON SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST (WEDNESDAY) NIGHT IN THE ON IMPORTATION OF LABOUR:

OF

THE SPEECH BY THE JOHN

IN THE CHAN, ADJOURNMENT DEBATE

EXPOUND THE BEHIND

TODAY'S DEBATE PROVIDES ME WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON THIS ISSUE AND TO EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE

IT.

SHORTAGE OF

MANPOWER

IN

HONG KONG HAS EXPERIENCED A GENERAL RECENT YEARS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE HAS REMAINED BELOW 3% FOR A LONG OF SOME 80-90 OR TIME. VACANCY ADVERTISEMENTS, NORMALLY CONSISTING EVEN OVER HUNDRED PAGES, REGULARLY APPEAR IN CERTAIN NEWSPAPERS. THERE ARE THREE MAIN REASONS FOR SUCH A SITUATION.

PAST

GROWTH IN

TRADES

OF

OF

THE

ECONOMIC

THE FIRSTLY, AS HONG KONG HAS SEEN RAPID

AND VARIOUS IN DEMAND FOR LABOUR THE YEARS, TEN

ΤΟ FILL INDUSTRIES HAS INCREASED. WITH INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF LABOUR

ADVANCED SYSTEM INTRODUCED THESE VACANCIES, MANY EMPLOYERS HAVE

TO ENHANCE THE PRODUCTIVITY AUTOMATION OR PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

ON

IN MANPOWER. DEMAND THE REDUCE AND TO THEIR EMPLOYEES

WHENEVER HAVE,

POSSIBLE, MANY MANUFACTURERS MANUFACTURING SECTOR, EITHER MOVED THEIR LABOUR INTENSIVE PRODUCTION PROCESSES CHINA AND OTHER NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES, OR EXTENDED LINES IN THESE AREAS. MOREOVER, RAPID FXPANSION OF THE SECTOR HAS LED TO A GREATER DEMAND FOR MANPOWER,

17

TO MAINLAND THEIR PRODUCTION LOCAL SERVICE

/SECONDLY, THE