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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairperson of the Commission on Poverty, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session at the lobby of West Wing, Central Government Offices, Tamar, this afternoon (August 20):
Reporter: Mrs Lam, would there be actually any public consultation on the way forward? Is there any chance that within this Government's term there would be anything actually being implemented? And what's your view, the Government's view or the Commission's view on Mr Nelson Chow's report?
Chief Secretary for Administration: Well, the Commission on Poverty has commissioned this study by Professor Nelson Chow and his research team to seriously look at the future development of retirement protection in Hong Kong. Throughout the study period, neither the Commission nor the Government has given any direction to the research team. In other words, we do not want to influence the outcome of the research study.
At this moment in time, we have an open mind on the various propositions and recommendations. The important thing is for us to make use of Professor Chow's study report as a very useful reference for us to take forward this very important and likely to be very controversial and highly contentious subject in society. I believe that at the end of the day we will definitely need to go out for an informed public debate in order to get some broad consensus on this very controversial subject before we could really take it forward. I could not commit the Commission to any timetable for the time being, except to assure you that the Commission will spare no time and will convene another meeting in due course to continue discussion on this very important report.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Issued at HKT 20:36
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