XN000022-1993-03-01 — Page 5

MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1993

AS A RESULT, THE STUDENT ENROLMENT FOR SUB-DEGREE

COURSES IS

EXPECTED ΤΟ BUILD UP FROM 2,250 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT IN 1993/94 ΤΟ 6,750 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT IN 1996/97.

THE

ON THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME WHICH INCLUDES INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, ACTIVITIES OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND REGISTRY OF TRADE UNIONS, RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR 1993/94 IS ESTIMATED TO BE $645 MILLION ROUGHLY THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.

HOWEVER, MR CHAN SAID ADDITIONAL FUNDING OF $3.5 MILLION A YEAR HAD BEEN INCLUDED FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO COPE WITH INDUSTRIAL SAFETY WORK ARISING FROM THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME.

SUMMING UP, MR CHAN SAID THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING OF $1.4 BILLION IN THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME DID NOT REPRESENT THE SUM-TOTAL OF IMPROVEMENTS TO BE INTRODUCED IN 1993/94.

"THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH AND ITS DEPARTMENTS HAVE CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND VALUE FOR MONEY THROUGH REDEPLOYMENT OF BASELINE SAVINGS, MR CHAN SAID.

"

"IN ADDITION, IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT SUBSTANTIAL ONE-OFF INJECTIONS OF FUNDS WERE MADE IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS - $300 MILLION FOR EMPLOYEES RETRAINING FUND AND $150 MILLION FOR THE OPEN LEARNING INSTITUTE.

"

IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT SOME IMPROVEMENTS MAY NOT INVOLVE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, SUCH AS IMPROVEMENTS IN SOME AREAS OF LABOUR LEGISLATION, MR CHAN ADDED.

PT

WORKERS BETTER PROTECTED ON INSOLVENCY

WORKERS WHOSE EMPLOYERS BECOME INSOLVENT WILL RE BETTER PROTECTED ON ARREARS OF WAGES AND WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTIOR WITH THE PROTECTION OF WAGES ON INSOLVENCY (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1993 CAME INTO EFFECT LAST FRIDAY.

UNDER THE ORDINANCE, THE MAXIMUM LIMIT OF RX-GRATIA RESPECT OF ARREARS OF WAGES WILL BE INCREASED FROM $8, 000 PER APPLICANT AND WAGES IN LIEU OF NOTICE FROM SEVEN DAYS' $2,000 TO ONE MONTH'S WAGES UP TO $6,000.

PAYMENT IN ΤΟ $18,000 WAGES UP TO

ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR ALFRED CHAN, SAID TODAY

(MONDAY):

"WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT AMENDED ORDINANCE, IMPROVED COVERAGE ENTITLEMENT OF THE WORKERS."

WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE

/MR CHAN