XN000022-1993-09-16+17 — Page 7

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1993

HE SAID EUROPE'S SHARE OF CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AMOUNTED TO NO LESS THAN 41 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL BY VALUE WITH COMPANIES COMING FROM FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND, THE UNITED KINDOM, DENMARK, ITALY AND GERMANY.

"THE IDEA THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM IS GETTING THE LION'S SHARE OF THE WORK IS NOT TRUE, HE SAID.

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SHA FURTHER EXPOUNDS SEXUAL EQUALITY

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IN TERMS OF LABOUR

FORCE PARTICIPATION, REMUNERATION AND EDUCATION ATTAINMENT, THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN HONG KONG COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH THOSE IN ASIAN COUNTRIES, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HOWEVER, MR SUEN SAID THE PRESENT STATUS OF WOMEN IN HONG KONG WAS NOT A REASON FOR COMPLACENCY.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ZONTA CLUB OF HONG KONG EAST.

HE SAID IT HAD LONG BEEN THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ΤΟ PROMOTE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN.

"WE HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD TO INTRODUCE EQUAL PAY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE 18 YEARS AGO.

"IN 1989 AMENDMENTS WERE MADE TO THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR SEPARATE TAXATION FOR MARRIED WOMEN, AND GOVERNMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING OUR LEGISLATION WHICH CURRENTLY PROVIDE FOR DIFFERENT TREATMENTS FOR WOMEN AND MEN.'

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ON A SUBJECT THAT RELATES STRONGLY TO THE PERCEPTION AND VALUES OF PEOPLE IN SOCIETY, MR SUEN NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING PUBLIC ATTENTION ON AND DRAWING COMMUNITY-WIDE RECOGNITION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.

AND AS THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY IS ULTIMATELY DETERMINED BY THE ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF ITS MEMBERS, HE BELIEVED THAT IN A FREE SOCIETY THAT TREASURED THE RIGHTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL,

IT WAS NOT FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ENGINEER PERSONAL CHOICES NOR TO PRESCRIBE SOCIAL ATTITUDES OR NORMS.

HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO.

FOR EQUAL

HENCE THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED GREEN PAPER ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES WOMEN AND MEN SETS OUT A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO FURTHER PROMOTE

OPPORTUNITIES.

MR SUEN SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS KEEN TO HEAR VIEWS ON THE

PROPOSALS,

/THESE INCLUDE