WK Lo’s LegCo Express (Oct 2016)
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WK LO's LegCo Express
Oct 2016
1. Oath-taking at the LegCo
I am most grateful to have been re-elected as a Member of the Legislative Council for the Engineering Functional Constituency. After taking the Legislative Council Oath on 12th October, I have assumed my full LegCo duty. I will continue to act as a bridge between the engineering industry, the Legislative Council and the Government on important issues relating to people’s livelihood and economic development, to support policy measures that are favourable to Hong Kong’s long-term development.
2. Elected as Chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong
On 13th Oct, I was elected as Chairman of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong. Together with other six LegCo members, the BPA will continue to drive forward Hong Kong’s economy through commercial and industrial development and to help improve people’s livelihood through our professionalism and dedication.
3. Elected as Chairman of the Public Works Subcommittee
On 19th Oct, I was elected as Chairman of the Public Works Subcommittee for the 2016-2017 session. Besides this chairmanship, I also joined the Establishment Subcommittee and other panels including Housing, Development, Environmental Affairs, Transport, Commerce and Industry, Economic Development, Information Technology and Broadcasting, etc. Your comments and suggestions to enhance my work in the Council are most welcome.
4. Expressed views to the CE on the Policy Address 2017
Together with other LegCo members of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, I met the CE on 7th Oct to express views on the Policy Address 2017 covering wide array of policy areas including development plan and infrastructure, industrial development, housing and land supply, environmental protection, technology development, etc. To encourage enterprises to devote more resources in R&D, we suggested triple tax deduction of the expenditure, raising the overall R&D expenditure to 1% of GDP within one year, and gradually increase to not less than 2.5% in ten years. We also proposed the establishment of $10 billion research fund to encourage R&D industry.
5. Participated in the Anti-China-Insulting Anti-independence Protest outside the LegCo
On 26th Oct, together with other LegCo members, I participated in the assembly outside the LegCo. More than ten thousand protesters joined the assembly and expressed their objection to the offensive conduct of the two Youngspiration Lawmakers-elect during the oath-taking, and the disagreement that they deserve to be members of the LegCo.
6. Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030
On 27th Oct, I attended a briefing arranged by the Development Bureau on the “Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending”. This comprehensive strategic study is built on the foundations of Hong Kong 2030, and has revisited the planning strategy and spatial development directions beyond 2030 in the light of the dynamics and challenges ahead. A high-level steering structure within the Government is suggested to set up for such endeavour. A six-month public engagement for Hong Kong 2030+ is launched until end-April 2017 to canvass public views.
7. Enactment of Exemption Regulation and Addition of Three New Trade Divisions under Construction Workers Registration Ordinance
On 20th Oct, I joined a briefing on the proposed enactment of the Exemption Regulation and the proposed addition of three new trade divisions under the Construction Workers Registration Ordinance. The Government proposed to make the Exemption Regulation to provide exemption from the“designated workers for designated skills” requirement in three aspects, namely “emergency construction work”, “small-scale construction work” and “persons who are exempted under other specified ordinances”. The Regulation will be tabled to the LegCo in Dec 2016 for negative vetting with a view to effecting the provisions of regulation and notice on 1 April 2017.
