I fully support the views expressed by Edwin Chiu in his letter headlined, 'Suggestion highly racist' (South China Morning Post, October 21). He was referring to legislator Choy So-yuk's proposal that domestic workers should have 20 per cent of their salaries deducted for using government services. She claims that domestic helpers take nearly all their salaries back home. Such a claim is unfounded. Although employers provide free meals, we buy drinks and food that we need or wish to eat. On our day off, we spend money on food as well as transport. We buy phone cards, stamps, stationery, books, magazines, newspapers, toiletries and many other things that we need. We buy such goods as groceries, clothes and home appliances that we send or bring home to our families. Many domestic helpers are also enrolled in vocational and distance learning collegiate courses, because we want to widen our knowledge and develop skills. If every domestic worker spends a minimum of one-third of her salary every month and there are around 180,000 overseas contract workers, think how much that is helping the Hong Kong economy. A domestic worker who is waiting for the processing of her papers has to pay for the visitor's visa herself. Ms Choy talked about the mess made in Central on a Sunday. The Philippine Consulate in co-operation with the Philippine Association of Hong Kong and other organisations, has launched the 'Help Keep Central Clean Campaign' year. It is an ongoing campaign and we are doing our utmost to try and clean up on a Sunday. We have already had a five per cent cut from our basic salaries. Is this not a sadistic move against a group of workers who work very hard and sacrifice so much, yet are the lowest paid members of the community. CORAZON P. CARSOLA Happy Valley
