WK LO's LegCo Express (March 2017)
"
WK LO's LegCo Express
March 2017
1. FC approved funding requests for block allocations of public works and site formation for public housing developments at Tai Po
Finance Committee approved a $12.4 billion funding request for a bloc of 9,600 public works on 18 March and another $1,146.8 million funding request for site formation of public housing developments at Tai Po on 24 March respectively. The progress of funding approval is very slow. These items are the first two public works approved by the FC in this session.
2. Anti-filibustering rally by the construction industry
The construction industry organized a rally of at the LegCo on 19 March to bring up public’s awareness on the impact of filibustering on the construction industry and the local economy. About 3,000 construction practitioners joined the rally. I, as Chairman of the PWSC, received the petition letter outside the LegCo Complex together with the FC Chairman.
3. Raised an oral question on the manpower of construction industry
I raised an oral question concerning ageing workforce, labour shortage and succession gap of construction industry at the LegCo meeting on 22 March. The Government replied that enhancement measures were rolled out to cope with the persistent manpower demand. During the period of 2009 to present, the total number of registered workers has risen from 270,000 to 430,000 while that of registered skilled/semi-skilled workers has also risen from about 107,000 to 214,000. However, the shortage of about 10,000 to 15,000 skilled workers will still persist in the next few years.
To view the question and reply, please visit the website at:
4. Territorial Population and Employment Data Matrix (TPEDM) data published
The Planning Department published the Territorial Population and Employment Data Matrix (TPEDM) data on 27 March, which can serve as a reference for the technical assessments to be conducted by the relevant professions. The TPEDM data is available at http://www.pland.gov.hk for public viewing.
5. LegCo Panel on Development visited Wang Chau
The LegCo Panel on Development visited Yuen Long on 3 March to better understand the current conditions of the sites for the public housing development plan in Wang Chau (the development plan). With the company of representatives of the Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Home Affairs Department, the Housing Department and the Lands Department, Members overlooked the current conditions of the sites for Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the development plan from the rooftop of Kam Ping House in Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long. During the visit, Members received a briefing on the latest information about the development plan by government representatives. They also exchanged views on the related issues.
6. Subcommittee on Two Proposed Resolutions under the Fixed Penalty (Traffic Contraventions) Ordinance and the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance
The Government proposes to increase the fixed penalty for traffic offences by 50% with effect from 1 June 2018. The last adjustments to the above fixed penalties were made in 1994. The proposal is raised in order to restore the deterrent effect of the fixed penalty charges for the relevant offences and to reflect the increase in the Composite Consumer Price Index from 1994 to 2016. The transportation industry does not support the proposed increase and expressed their concerns over inadequate provision of parking spaces for commercial vehicles and insufficient enforcement actions taken against illegal parking. I joined the Subcommittee to discuss the resolutions in details.
7. Panel on Transport visited the construction sites of the Hong Kong Link Road and Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
On 28 March, Panel on Transport conducted a visit to the construction sites of the Hong Kong Link Road and Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge near Tung Chung of Lantau to better understand the works progress.
8. Subcommittee on Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Proposed Monument) (Hung Lau) Notice
The Government has accorded Hung Lau Grade 1 status (which denotes a historical building of outstanding merit). In view of the imminent demolition threat to the building, the notice was made to offer it immediate statutory protection. The notice came into operation on the day it was published in the Gazette on 13 March. I joined the Subcommittee to discuss the issue in details.
"
