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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council will hold a meeting this Wednesday (April 29) at 11 am in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on developing new economic strategies to meet economic challenges.
The motion, to be moved by Hon Mrs Regina Ip, states: "That, as Hong Kong's short-term and long-term economic development will face enormous challenges, with short-term challenges arising from the global financial tsunami and the economy entering recession; while in the long term, with the industries in the Pearl River Delta gradually transforming and upgrading, the enterprises in Hong Kong are facing big challenges and the risk of being hollowed out, coupled with the fact that the State Council has decided to develop Shanghai into an international financial centre, the competitive edge of Hong Kong's traditional economic pillars, including finance, trading and logistics, tourism as well as the related service sectors, etc, is on the wane, Hong Kong must therefore promote new economic strategies which can create higher economic value, and the Task Force on Economic Challenges headed by the Chief Executive also announced earlier its decision to develop industries including those based on innovation and technology as well as cultural and creative industries; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to adopt the following measures to develop these new industries:
(a) formulating long-term and practicable development strategies for the new industries and implementing them in a down-to-earth manner to ensure that the new industries will not become 'empty talks';
(b) drawing reference from the successful experience of countries such as the United Kingdom, Korea and Australia, etc, for example, setting up a policy bureau to promote innovation and technology as well as cultural and creative industries, fully co-ordinate work in these areas and restructure the organisation of the various policy bureaux to achieve a more rational distribution of work among them;
(c) making good use of the land available for development in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and the North East New Territories, putting emphasis on supporting the development of innovation and technology as well as cultural and creative industries, and utilising the geographical advantage to complement the development of the Pearl River Delta so as to achieve synergy; and
(d) recruiting talents from the private sector, making good use of society's resources and introducing new ideas to ensure that the new industries will not lose vitality due to the Government's bureaucratic way of doing things."
Hon Audrey Eu, Hon Lee Wing-tat, Hon Wong Kwok-hing, Hon Miriam Lau and Hon Cyd Ho will move separate amendments to Hon Mrs Regina Ip's motion.
Members will debate another motion on concern about the youth drug problem. The motion, to be moved by Dr Hon Joseph Lee, says: "That, the recent incidents such as secondary students taking drugs on campus and young singers being arrested in Japan for suspected possession of drugs which occurred successively have once again aroused the concern about the youth drug problem; yet, the Government's concern about the deteriorating youth drug problem has all along been inadequate and the progress of its anti-drug work is slow; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to expeditiously formulate a comprehensive anti-drug policy to address the increasingly serious youth drug problem."
Hon Wong Sing-chi and Hon Chan Kin-por will move separate amendments to Dr Hon Joseph Lee's motion.
Meanwhile, Hon Miriam Lau will move a resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Building (Minor Works) Regulation, laid on the table of the Legislative Council on April 1, 2009, to the meeting of May 20, 2009.
On Government motions, the Chief Secretary for Administration will move a resolution under the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission Ordinance to resolve that Schedule 1 to the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission Ordinance (Cap. 92) be amended by adding "Principal Family Court Judge" under "Chief District Judge".
In addition, the Secretary for Food and Health will move a resolution under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance to resolve that the Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Regulation 2009 and the Poisons List (Amendment) Regulation 2009, made by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board on April 6, 2009, be approved.
On bills, Second Reading Debates on the Adaptation of Laws Bill 2009 and the Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Bill 2008 will resume. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Readings, they will then go through the Committee Stage and be read the third time.
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Administration 20 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the Legislative Council InfoFax Service (Tel: 2869 9568) or the Legislative Council web site (http://www.legco.gov.hk).
Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Legislative Council Chamber. They may reserve seats by calling 2869 9399 during office hours. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Members of the public can also listen to the meeting via the audio webcast system on the Legislative Council homepage.
Ends/Monday, April 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:27
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