No one is expecting there will be much gratitude in the motion of thanks this week to the CE but one thing to be sure of, pan-dems will take this opportunity to lambaste CY Leung. (Photo: Philippe Lopez/ AFP)
February 9 Monday
Another visit to Beijing
Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Tsang Tak-sing will leave for Beijing tonight and meet with the new Minister of Culture Mr Luo Shugang. Mr Tsang will return to Hong Kong tomorrow.
LegCo to discuss the ATV saga
Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting will discuss issues realted to ATV. Unpaid wages will no doubt be the crux of the discussion. Claudia Mo (GC- Kowloon West, Civic Party) will move a motion to urge the Chief Executive and the Executive Committee to negate the free TV license extension of ATV.
Chinese History in secondary schools
Following calls to make Chinese History a compulsory subject in secondary schools, the issue is finally discussed in LegCo’s Panel on Education. The Curriculum Development Council has set up an ad hoc Committee in May 2014 to review and revise the two junior secondary Chinese History and History curricula. Consultations with schools and stakeholders will be conducted in mid-2015.
February 10 Tuesday
Exploring the underground
Public Works Subcommittee will discuss a $70 million funding for a pilot study on underground
space development in Tsim Sha Tsui West, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and Admiralty/ Wan Chai. “There is a pressing need to increase land supply for various uses by sustainable and innovative approaches to support social and economic development,” explains the Government.
Regulations on formula products
29 deputations will attend a public hearing at the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene to voice their views on the proposed regulation of nutrition and health claims on formula products and prepackaged food for infants and young children under the age of 36 months in Hong Kong. A public consultation was launched on 6 January 2015 and will last for more than three months until 17 April 2015.
Free Kindergarten
The Subcommittee to Study the Implementation of Free Kindergarten Education will discuss the support for half-day, whole-day and long whole-day kindergartens. Committee on Free Kindergarten Education has previously said that: “All eligible children aged 3 to 6 should have access to quality Kindergarten education as a matter of equity.” The Committee is devising ways to fund the free Kindergarten education.
February 11 Wednesday
New posts in the Governemnt
A bunch of new and current positions will be discussed today at the Establishment Subcommittee. Among them is a new Chief Superintendent of Police to head the new Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau in the Police force for preventing and combating technology crime and responding to cyber security incidents.
Minimum wage raise
22 deputations will attend a public hearing to discuss the rise of minimum wage from $30 to $32.5. Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades considers the rise in minimum wage a bueden to the catering industry. On the other hand, Institution of Dining Art stresses the problem of manpower shortage in the industry has already pushed up the wages without the help of the minimum wage and urges the Government to implement tax reductions for restaurants.
February 12 Thursday
Motion to thank CY
At the regular Council meeting yesterday (Wednesday), members debate the motion to thank the Chief Executive for his Policy Address, an opportunity for members to approve or disapprove this years Policy Address. No doubt the pan-dems will take the shots to fire upon CY Leung and the debate on the motion will likely continue today and tomorrow.
February 13 Friday
Special Friday
LegCo has reserved the whole day on Friday for the motion of thanks. No Finance Committee meeting nor the House Committee meeting is scheduled. However, the Finance Committee will have 4 sessions of meeting on Saturday from 8:30a.m. to late night as February 14 will be the deadline for the ITB staffing proposals to be included in the Budget which will be tabled on February 25.
The proposals seek to:
- Create three non-civil service positions of one Director of Bureau, one Deputy Director of Bureau and one Political Assistant to Director of Bureau and four permanent posts of one Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 (D8), one Administrative Officer Staff Grade B (D3) and two Administrative Officer Staff Grade C (D2).
- Provide funds for three politically-appointed officials – the Director of Bureau, the Deputy Director of Bureau and the Political Assistant to the Director of Bureau – and a Permanent Secretary of the Bureau.
