XN000022-1993-01-18 — Page 7

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MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1993

GOVT SETS CEILING ON ACP LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME

THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL. HAS APPROVED AN EXTENSION OF THE SPECIAL LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME TO FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF

THE NEW AIRPORT AND RELATED PROJECTS.

THE SPECIAL SCHEME WAS INTRODUCED IN MAY 1990 WITH AN INITIAL QUOTA OF 2,000 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION OFFICE SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED, ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THAT THE CEILING OF IMPORTED WORKERS PERMITTED TO WORK IN HONG KONG AT ANY ONF TIME UNDER THE SPECIAL LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEME WOULD BE SET AT 5,500 TO COVER THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME (ACP) PROJECTS FOR WHICH PINANCIAL COMMITMENTS HAD BEEN MADE.

HE SAID FOLLOWING THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS BY CONTRACTORS, THE INITIAL QUOTA OF 2,000 INTENDED TO COVER THE FIRST STAGE OF ACP WORKS HAD BEEN FULLY COMMITTED TO AWARDED CONTRACTS.

THERE IS THEREFORE A NEED TO REVISE THE SPECIAL SCHEME TO COVER THOSE ACP PROJECTS FOR WHICH FINANCIAL COMMITMENT HAD BEEN MADE BUT FOR WHICH REQUIREMENTS OF IMPORTED WORKERS HAD NOT BEEN FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE ORIGINAL SCHEME.

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THE RELEVANT PROJECTS ARK THE AIRPORT (FIRST RUNWAY AND ASSOCIATED FACILITIES) SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT, THE NORTH LANTAU EXPRESSWAY, THE WEST KOWLOON RECLAMATION, THE WEST KOWLOON EXPRESSWAY THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, ROUTE THREE (PART), LANTAU FIXED CROSSING (INCLUDING RAIL PORTION AND ROUTE THREE INTERCHANGE), TUNG CHUNG DEVELOPMENT PHASE 1.

THE EXISTING

ADMISSION PROCEDURES FOR THE SCHEME WILL BE FOLLOWED. BUT A MONTHLY LEVY OF $100 PER WORKER WOULD BE INTRODUCED FOR THE SPECIAL SCHEME.

"THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE LEVY WELL BE USED POR THE TRAINING AND RETRAINING OF LOCAL WORKERS,' THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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THE REST OF THE CONDITIONS WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED INCLUDING MANDATORY REGISTRATION BY THE EMPLOYER OF VACANCIES WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WHEN SUBMITTING PRELIMINARY APPLICATIONS, NO DISPLACEMENT OF LOCAL WORKERS WITH IMPORTED WORKERS, FIXED PERMISSIBLE DEDUCTIONS FROM WAGES TO COVER FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION, PAYMENT OF WAGES THROUGH THE BANK AND COMPLETION OF A STANDARD CONTRACT IN RESPECT OF EACH WORKER.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: "THE NEED FOR IMPORTATION WILL STEM FROM TWO MAIN FACTORS, FIRST, A LACK OF PARTICULAR SKILLS IN THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET FOR WHICH WORKERS WOULD NEED ΤΟ BE IMPORTED IN ANY EVENT, AND SECONDLY A SHORTFALL OF GENERAL LABOUR IN HONG KONG.

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