|
Chief Executive unveils relief initiatives
Press Release - October 10, 2001
The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, today (October 10) announced in his Policy Address a package of measures to help Hong Kong people through the current economic downturn and invest in the future.
He urged Hong Kong people to draw on their strengths and �walk the extra mile� to overcome the present difficulties.
Delivering his fifth Policy Address � entitled �Building on Our Strengths, Investing in Our Future� � Mr Tung unveiled initiatives to relieve economic hardship, upgrade education and human resources, enhance Hong Kong�s attraction as a business hub, improve the living environment and foster community spirit.
Mr Tung also indicated the Government�s initial thinking on ways to improve the system of accountability for senior officials, an exercise which he undertook in last year�s Policy Address.
�Recently we have seen dramatic changes in the world around us and there are even tougher challenges ahead. We are facing the most acute economic problems for many years,� Mr Tung said.
�In the face of our current economic difficulties, the most reliable source of strength is ourselves � the people of Hong Kong.
�In the past, when confronted with adversity, Hong Kong people always rise to the occasion. We maintain our composure, walk the extra mile, strive for excellence, better ourselves and break new ground.�
Mr Tung said the Government had the responsibility to help relieve the hardships faced by the community during the current economic downturn.
He said the Government would create over 30,000 job opportunities in the short term in areas including recreational and cultural facilities, housing estate management, education, environmental protection, public sanitation and greening.
Mr Tung announced a $2,000 rates payment reduction next year for each rateable tenement. About 840 000 ratepayers would not have to pay rates in 2002 as a result, while remaining ratepayers would enjoy a full reduction of $2,000. It would cost about $5 billion in lost revenue.
As a further measure to help home owners, the Government would propose that the Legislative Council approve raising the tax deduction ceiling for housing loan interest from the current level of $100,000 to $150,000 per year for this and the next year of assessment.
Mr Tung unveiled plans to establish a Community Investment and Inclusion Fund with an initial $300 million Government grant. Public donations would also be welcomed.
The fund would encourage the local community and grassroots organisations to develop their own initiatives and enhance the community�s motivation and dedication to help each other.
Mr Tung pledged to continue to increase investing in education every year for the next five to 10 years regardless of the economic situation.
�Education sits at the top of our social policy agenda,� he said.
Initiatives include:
$5 billion to subsidise those with aspirations to pursue continuing education and training programmes to stimulate life-long learning in the community
Upgrading the quality of teachers and providing more resources to help kindergartens employ more qualified teachers
A 50 per cent increase in the allocation to secondary schools to create a better environment for teachers
Employing more native English-speaking teachers or teaching assistants to strengthen English language teaching in primary schools
Mr Tung said that while developing knowledge skills, Hong Kong must not overlook the need to upgrade hard and soft infrastructure, to push ahead with large-scale projects and improve the business environment.
The backbone of Hong Kong�s economy � small and medium enterprises � will benefit from $1.9 billion in financial assistance through four new funds being established as a result of recommendations in the Small and Medium Enterprises Committee report released in June.
The Government�s commitment will benefit more than 100,000 enterprises.
Other initiatives to improve Hong Kong�s business environment include:
Investing up to $2 billion to build a new exhibition centre at Chek Lap Kok in conjunction with the Airport Authority
Setting up a Steering Committee on Logistics Development and a Logistics Development Council to promote Hong Kong�s development as a major international transportation and logistics hub
A $100 million fund to support, on a matching basis, projects to enhance professional services in Hong Kong
Making it more convenient for Mainland business people to visit Hong Kong; making it more convenient for Hong Kong permanent residents who are foreign nationals to visit the Mainland; and looking at ways to relax immigration restrictions for overseas investors
Agreement reached with Mainland authorities to abolish the quota system for the Hong Kong Group Tour Scheme from January 2002. This will allow more Mainland tourists to visit Hong Kong.
Mr Tung said that the Government and the two railway corporations would invest $600 billion over the next 15 years in projects such as new rail lines, land formation and roads and on improving links with the Pearl River Delta.
Designs were being prepared for an express railway service from Hung Hom to Shenzhen to link with a planned Shenzhen-Guangzhou express that would cut travelling time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou to one hour.
Mr Tung said Hong Kong and Guangdong Authorities had agreed to reach a consensus by April 2002 on a plan to implement long-term measures to improve the region�s air quality.
Other measures to improve the living environment would include increasing greening efforts, speeding up redevelopment of older urban areas, examining ways to make sporting activities more popular and constructing more quality sports facilities.
Referring to the Government�s study on how to improve the system of accountability, Mr Tung suggested the introduction of a new system of appointing the top three Secretaries (the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice) and most Directors of Bureaux on terms different to those in the civil service. They would not be civil servants.
Each would be fully responsible for the respective policy portfolios designated by the Chief Executive and would lead the departments within their particular portfolios. They would be appointed to the Executive Council.
Mr Tung said it would be for the Chief Executive in the second term to decide whether these ideas should be implemented.
Briefing the media in Toronto, the Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Mrs Rosanna Ure said the recruitment of Native-Speaking English Teachers (NET) Scheme would be extended to primary schools in Hong Kong.
�This will create about 700 job opportunities over a period of time for teachers recruited from overseas countries.
�In previous recruitment exercises for secondary school NETs, a lot of Canadian teachers have been successfully recruited,� she said.
Referring to the proposal to make it more convenient for Hong Kong permanent residents who are foreign nationals to visit the Mainland, Mrs Ure said this would have an impact on Canadians of Hong Kong origin.
�An agreement has been reached in principle with the Mainland authority that three-year multiple visas instead of 6 months� visa will be granted to this category of Hong Kong residents. Each duration of stay is also extended to 14 days.�
For further information please contact Chief Information Officer, Jean Chan at 416-924-5544/[email protected] or Senior Information Officer, Elison Chu, [email protected].
|
