****************************************
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the container terminal labour dispute today (April 8):
Reporter: Would you say that the Government has been too low-profile in the whole incident and have you personally urged HIT to join the negotiation table?
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: I have been personally involved, in fact, from day one when the labour dispute started. I was monitoring very closely. In fact, I have been actually spending quite a lot of time on the issue, shuttling between various parties. And I have even talked to the senior management of Hutchison Whampoa in order to bring a breakthrough. My concern is actually to get all parties concerned around the negotiation table and talk. Through rational dialogue, I am sure that an amicable solution could be reached at the end of the day. It may take a bit of time but still it is important to kick-start the process, kick-start the talks, and get everybody round the table.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, April 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:23
NNNN
