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The Government announced today (February 27) the composition of the Provisional Minimum Wage Commission (MWC). The appointments will take immediate effect and end upon the establishment of the statutory MWC.
The Chief Executive has appointed Ms Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah as the chairman of the Provisional MWC and 12 members drawn from the labour sector, business community, academia and government departments. The chairman and the nine non-official members are appointed on a personal basis.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, thanked the chairman and members of the Provisional MWC for accepting the challenge of this important mission.
Mr Cheung said, ¡§The Provisional MWC is mainly tasked to advise the Chief Executive on the initial statutory minimum wage (SMW) rate to be adopted on the basis of an evidence-based approach and with a view to ensuring a sensible balance between forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs while sustaining Hong Kong¡¦s economic growth and competitiveness.¡¨
On the appointment of the chairman, Mr Cheung said, ¡§Ms Cheng possesses extensive professional knowledge in various fields and has a distinguished record of public service. She will undoubtedly bring her expertise to bear on the Provisional MWC.
¡§I am confident that under her leadership, the Provisional MWC will work in an objective and balanced manner in making its recommendation on the initial SMW rate, and will fully take into account the empirical findings of surveys as well as the views of various stakeholders.¡¨
The Labour Department will provide secretariat support to the Provisional MWC and will arrange for the first meeting of the Provisional MWC as soon as practicable.
The profiles of the chairman and non-official members of the Provisional MWC are as follows:
Chairman
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Ms Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah
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Ms Cheng is a Senior Counsel in private practice. She is the first Asian woman elected as the president for 2008 of a global organisation, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is a vice chairperson of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. As for community service, Ms Cheng currently serves as the chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee and Appeal Board Panel (Town Planning), and a member of the Construction Industry Council. She is also a chartered engineer, chartered arbitrator and accredited mediator.
Non-official Members
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Dr Michael Chan Yue-kwong
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Dr Chan is executive chairman of Cafˆm de Coral Holdings Limited. He is currently a member of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, an elected member of Quality Tourism Services Association, an executive committee member of the Retail Management Association, a general committee member of the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong, governor of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and chairman of the Business Enterprise Management Centre of the Hong Kong Management Association.
Professor Leonard Cheng Kwok-hon
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Professor Cheng is chair professor of Economics and dean of the School of Business and Management of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is a member of the Broadcasting Authority. He was formerly a member of the Manpower Development Committee and the Commission on Strategic Development.
Mr Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong
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Mr Kwok is vice-chairman and managing director of the Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited. He is also executive vice president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, and a member of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Construction Industry Council, the Council for Sustainable Development and the Commission on Strategic Development.
Mr Kwong Chi-kin
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Mr Kwong is legal adviser to the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and a member of the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications. He was formerly a Legislative Council member, a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit and member of the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong.
Mr Lau Chin-shek
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Mr Lau is currently a member of the Employees Retraining Board. He was formerly a member of the Legislative Council, the Manpower Development Committee and the Commission on Strategic Development as well as president of the Confederation of Trade Unions.
Mr Lee Kai-ming
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Mr Lee is a consultant of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions. He is chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council and chairperson of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Advisory Committee. He was formerly a Legislative Council member, adjudicator of the Obscene Articles Tribunal and non-executive director of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority.
Professor Liu Pak-wai
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Professor Liu is professor of economics at the Department of Economics of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was formerly pro-vice-chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a member of the Manpower Development Committee. He is also a member of the Commission on Strategic Development and the Independent Commission on Remuneration for Members of the Executive Council and the Legislature, and Officials under the Political Appointment System of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and non-executive director of the Securities and Futures Commission. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
Ms Caroline Mak Sui-king
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Ms Mak is group specialty retail director of the Dairy Farm Group. She is chairman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, president of Hong Kong Women Professionals and Entrepreneurs Association and a member of the Business Facilitation Advisory Committee. She formerly served as the chairlady of the Retail Trade Training Board of the Vocational Training Council.
Professor Ng Sik-hung
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Professor Ng is chair professor of social psychology at the Department of Applied Social Studies of the City University of Hong Kong. He now serves as a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit and member of the Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies Panel of the Research Grants Council.
Government representatives
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- Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare
- Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry & Tourism)
- Government economist
Ends/Friday, February 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:30
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