Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a motion thanking the city leader for his latest policy address, but some lawmakers have raised concerns about the import of labour amid rising unemployment while calling on him to defend the interests of residents.
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The Legislative Council concluded a three-day debate on Friday and passed a motion thanking Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu for his annual policy blueprint unveiled last month, in which he rolled out a new accountability system for department heads, pledged to expedite key infrastructure projects, and improve livelihoods among other things.
Some unionist lawmakers took the floor to urge Lee’s administration to further limit labour imports to protect the local workforce.
Lee had proposed stricter rules for importing waiters and junior cooks under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme, now requiring employers to have at least two full-time local workers in those positions and extending the local recruitment period from four to six weeks.
Unionist lawmaker Chau Siu-chung argued that these measures should apply to all sectors and urged authorities to review the scheme every three months and adjust it according to market conditions.
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Authorities should halt the importation of labour in the catering sector, he added, citing the city’s rising jobless rate, which indicated sufficient manpower locally.