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SLW on Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme
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     Following is the transcript (English portion) of the remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme at a media stand-up today (December 13):

Reporter: Can you tell us first why have you decided to include self-employed workers and also people who are working part-time.  Some of them even don't have 72-hour work.  What would you do to help them?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The new scheme is designed to benefit as many people as possible.  By including self-employed people, we are mindful of the situation that a lot of people are now working on a self-employed basis.  So in other words, our coverage is now more comprehensive, benefiting more people.  That is point number one.  On the question of working 72 hours, we examined very carefully whether we should relax it and concluded that we should retain the 72-hour requirement because firstly, it is not unreasonable to expect somebody to work 72 hours a month.  Secondly, we understand that a lot of these local domestic helpers want extra work but they can't find employers.  They can't find work.  A more practical way of helping them is to give them more part-time jobs and access to part-time jobs.  That is why the Labour Department will work in concert with the Employees Retraining Board to provide enhanced services to this group of domestic helpers, in particular.  First of all, the Labour Department will on its website provide a special section on part-time jobs in future. The Employees Retraining Board will also step up its matching service on its special platform for domestic helper.  We hope that through this direct practical help, we can help those looking for part-time jobs to have access to these jobs in future. This is more practicable help.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Monday, December 13, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:32

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