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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN (in Cantonese):-The DAB supports the amended motion because it is in line with our basic platform. At the second Urban Council meeting of the new term in May, Mr. WONG Kwok-hing raised the issue of objecting to the importation of labour and many Members supported it and I had suggested that the Council and the Department should not employ imported labour. So, the DAB members support the amended motion.
The amended motion is different from the original motion. The proposer, Mr. Fred Li said that the distinction is not substantial and the Chairman regarded that the difference was not great but I think the difference is very great. The amended motion is more rational and clearer. Why do I say this? It is because on the basis of the original motion, Councillors will find it hard to make a decision and we have to oppose employment of all foreign labour. As a result, many projects and contracts cannot go ahead smoothly. But, after making the amendment, we are targeting unskilled labour and this will not be a blow to the economy of Hong Kong and will not affect our contracts. For example, we talk about 'Illegal worker', its definition is quite wide ranging. Are the returned emigrants who are holding foreign passports and the senior executives in many big corporations illegal workers? If so, we can't employ them. Then, we have to employ a home-grown company to undertake our contracts. This explained why I said that the difference between the original motion and the amended motion was very great. After inserting the word 'unskilled', it is better. As I fully support Mr. To's rational amendment to the original motion it is in line with DAB's platform.
MR. NG WING-FAI (in Cantonese):-I am a member of the Democratic Party. In raising the motion, our Party is adequately prepared and rational as we have studied the employment situation in Hong Kong. We actually found that for example, in my field which is town planning, many professionals in the UK and Australia would like to find jobs in Hong Kong as their countries have very high unemployment rates and this will have an adverse impact on job opportunities of skilled people as well. However, the DAB representative said that his party would not support a total ban on the employment of overseas workers and even support the importation of skilled workers. The Democratic Party is a rational party. We would like to secure the support of the majority of Members here and that is why Mr. Fred Li supports the amendment and for the same reason, I also support the amendment.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAN (in Cantonese):-According to the Government statistics, the unemployment and underemployment rates were 3% and 1.5% respectively in the first quarter of 1995, I found that there has been an obvious rise in the rates when compared with last year's figures. The importation of foreign labour scheme has a strong impact on the unemployment rate directly or indirectly, the job opportunities of a workforce of about 3 million Hong Kong people have been adversely affected. Many people are unemployed or
Page 162 of 485
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Page 162 of 485
138
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN (in Cantonese):-The DAB supports the amended motion because it is in line with our basic platform. At the second Urban Council meeting of the new term in May, Mr. WONG Kwok-hing raised the issue of objecting to the importation of labour and many Members supported it and I had suggested that the Council and the Department should not employ imported labour. So, the DAB members support the amended motion.
The amended motion is different from the original motion. The proposer, Mr. Fred Li said that the distinction is not substantial and the Chairman regarded that the difference was not great but I think the difference is very great. The amended motion is more rational and clearer. Why do I say this? It is because on the basis of the original motion, Councillors will find it hard to make a decision and we have to oppose employment of all foreign labour. As a result, many projects and contracts cannot go ahead smoothly. But, after making the amendment, we are targeting unskilled labour and this will not be a blow to the economy of Hong Kong and will not affect our contracts. For example, we talk about 'Illegal worker', its definition is quite wide ranging. Arc if the returned emigrants who are holding foreign passports and the senior executives in many big corporations illegal workers? If so, we can't employ them. Then, we have to employ a home-grown company to undertake our contracts. This explained why I said that the difference between the original motion and the amended motion was very great. After inserting the word 'unskilled', it is better. As I fully support Mr. To's rational amendment to the original motion it is in line with DAB's platform.
MR. NG WING-FAI (in Cantonese):-I am a member of the Democratic Party. In raising the motion, our Party is adequately prepared and rational as we have studied the employment situation in Hong Kong. We actually found that for example, in my field which is town planing, many professionals in the UK and Australia would like to find jobs in Hong Kong as their countries have very high unemployment rates and this will have an adverse impact on job opportunities of skilled people as well. However, the DAB representative said that his party would not support a total ban on the employment of overseas workers and even support the importation of skilled workers. The Democratic Party is a rational party. We would like to secure the support of the majority of Members here and that is why Mr. Fred Li supports the amendment and for the same reason, I also support the amendment.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):-According to the Government statistics, the unemployment and underemployment rates were 3% and 1.5% respectively in the first quarter of 1995, I found that there has been an obvious rise in the rates when compared with last year's figures. The importation of foreign labour scheme has a strong impact on the unemployment rate directly or indirectly, the job opportunities of a workforce of about 3 million Hong Kong people have been adversely affected. Many people are unemployed or
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