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The 2013 Policy Address maps out a blueprint covering issues of economic development, housing and land supply, environmental protection, and transportation, which also shows the CE’s determination to face up to the fundamental problems of society and to respond the demands of the community. I agree what he said “it is imperative to pursue people’s livelihood and the economy in tandem”, which connects business and people’s livelihood together and happens to hold the same view as the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA). Housing and land supply is another limelight focus. I believe urban planning requires long-term vision. In the past decade, the Government hasn’t paid attention on the “land reserve”. Though reclamation, underground space and rock cavern development are intractable to handle, I believe the Government should do something to solve the predicament. Together with other members, I will continue to monitor the Government’s implementation on various policies and measures.

The inauguration ceremony of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA, 香港經濟民生聯盟) was held on 18 Dec at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Chief Executive, Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, Mr. Lin Wu; and close to 500 guests attended the event to celebrate the birth of the Alliance. Looking ahead, the Alliance will expand its membership base and outreach into the community to strive for the support of the general public. 

The work of the Expert Group on Technology Development, co-chaired by the Hon Elizabeth Quat and me, was kicked off in December. Members of the Group held a brainstorming meeting to discuss specific policies and actions to promote short, medium and long term technology development of Hong Kong. It was consensus of the meeting that the Government should set the goals and strategies for the next five to ten years to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness. The public investment in R&D should increase and the Government should also take solid actions and introduce incentive plans to encourage R&D in the private sector. A proposal was submitted to the Chief Executive accordingly for the 2013 Policy Address.

The Hong Kong Green Strategy Alliance (HKGSA), chaired by me, has also submitted a proposal to the Chief Executive regarding the prominent environmental issues for the 2013 Policy Address. The HKGSA is a non-profit making organization founded in 2012 by a group of professionals and stakeholders who are visionary and wish to undertake the responsibility on the issues of environmental protection and sustainable development.

At the House Committee meeting on 7 Dec, proposed resolution for authorizing members to exercise Powers and Privileges Ordinance to appoint a select committee for inquiring into the unauthorized building works at the Chief Executive's properties and related issues was negatived. I stressed that in discharging their duties, professional staff in the civil service, such as engineers and surveyors, need to comply not only with the relevant regulations and guidelines promulgated by the authorities concerned, but also their professional ethics. In my view, making allegations against the professional staff for harboring the CE merely on the basis of media reports without substantiated evidence was an affront to them. I did not support the proposed invocation of the powers under the P&P ordinance to inquire into the matter.

The fare increase application of 8.5% from the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (KMB) was discussed at the Transport Panel. In assessing franchised bus fare adjustment applications, the Administration would take into account a basket of factors. A formula including factor of productivity gain was introduced in 2009 but the productivity factor was set at zero until the next review in three years' time. I wondered the productivity gain as an encouraging factor has been eliminated. The administration responded that taking into consideration the fuel cost and competition from the MTR at that time, setting the productivity gain as zero provided a safeguard because a negative number would create a greater pressure on fare increase. I proposed that the formula should be reviewed right away. 

Regarding the waste management in public housing estates, I asked the Government at a meeting of the Housing Panel if there be any waste furniture recycling or reuse programme collaborating with NGOs. I also asked would the technologies of sediment recycled bricks or green concrete be introduced in new PRH buildings. The Secretary for Transport and Housing responded that the waste furniture will be distributed to needy persons and the Housing Authority (HA) would continue to explore the opportunities of working with NGOs on such initiatives. For the reuse of waste construction materials, the HA has adopted a number of initiatives to promote green building construction in new estates.

I raised an oral question regarding shortage of construction workers in LegCo on 9 Jan. With a view of existing labour shortage in the construction industry, I asked if the Government has reviewed the effectiveness of the Enhanced Construction Manpower Training Scheme and whether the authorities will outsource training courses and implement new measures to address the difficulties.

In the motion debate of “Executive Council as gate-keeper for MTR fares” on 5 Dec, I stated that the FAM is reached by social consensus and its formula is calculated by publicly accessible data thus the FAM is a fairly objective and transparent mechanism. I agreed that the FAM should be reviewed so as to reflect the current situation of livelihood and social development.

In my speech regarding the motion of “Small and Medium Enterprises Financing Guarantee Scheme”, I pointed out that the Government should help expand the Mainland markets for SMEs, encourage SMEs to participate in R&D with substantial incentives as well as optimize current procurement policies and tender mechanism, so as to assist SMEs in resolving operation difficulty. 

On 20 Dec, a motion of “Reviving the Quality of Local Education and Stopping the Blind Industrialization of Education” was moved. In my view, we need a comprehensive and objective review on developing long-term education policy so as to move towards internationalization, to improve the institutions’ academic standards and quality, to nurture talents and to increase the competitiveness of Hong Kong.