Legislators last night endorsed increases in four groups of fees and charges unrelated to people's livelihood that will raise an extra $7 million a year for the Government.
The package, effective from the end of this month, covers 177 items, with increases attached to 150 items and reductions to 27. They include licensing fees for waste disposal, registration fees for medical professionals, fees relating to dutiable commodities and fees covering lottery licences.
The maximum increase will be 20 per cent, with amounts ranging from a $5 rise to $305 for the registration of midwives, to a rise of $6,500 a month to $71,100 for an inspector to supervise a bonded warehouse.
All the 22 resolutions sponsored by unionist legislators Chan Yuen-han, Lau Chin-shek and Liberal Party chairman James Tien Pei-chun to block the increases were vetoed under the joint forces of the Democratic Party, The Frontier, the Progressive Alliance and several non-affiliated lawmakers.
Ms Chan proposed to freeze charges relating to environmental protection, Mr Tien suggested freezing charges on dutiable commodities and Mr Lau urged a blanket block on all increases.
Ms Chan, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong and the Federation of Trade Unions, said she supported the principle of 'user pays' but said the Government should not increase fees when the public had yet to feel the benefits of the reviving economy. 'The pay of a lot of employees is still frozen. An increase in fees will encourage [public utility] companies to raise their fees,' she said.
