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Felix Chan

Domestic helper Esther Garcia said yesterday she would welcome paying $500 of her salary to the government to show her appreciation of living in Hong Kong.

Ms Garcia, who has worked for four employers in 12 years, said it was her responsibility to follow the decision of the government, even if it meant being taxed 15 per cent of her salary.

'I like the government here. It is much better than what we have back in the Philippines,' said Ms Garcia, 45, who now works for a family of four in Tseung Kwan O.

She believes the government will do what is best for Hong Kong and that paying taxes would be a way to fulfil her responsibility as a SAR resident.

'I actually feel happy that I can play a part in helping to save the economy,' Ms Garcia said.

'The $500 probably wouldn't affect me as much as it would affect the others because I only have to send about one third of my salary home every month, whereas many of my friends are sending 60 to 70 per cent to their homes.'

Jun Tubadeza, 49, who came to Hong Kong from the Philippines six years ago, said it would be unfair to impose any tax on foreign domestic helpers as they were already at the low end of the income spectrum.

He said compared to their local counterparts, foreign domestic helpers normally had to work longer hours for less pay.

'Like most of my friends here, I don't have any problem with my employer, who has been treating me very nicely.

'I don't mind working long hours, so I don't understand why the politicians still think we are earning too much,' said Mr Tubadeza, who works as a domestic helper for an expatriate businessman in Fei Ngo Shan.

'I know a lot of my fellow-countrymen have to regularly work as long as 15 hours a day.'

Mr Tubadeza said he would join protests against the tax proposal if needed. Despite this, he said there were some who saw paying taxes as a way of making them feel part of Hong Kong.

Local domestic worker Sin Sin-hin, 62, who earns about $3,000 a month, said locals were not immune from exploitation despite often working for different types of employers than imported workers.

'I don't know if it has to do with the Chinese way of treating people with lesser ability. Some employers simply discount the efforts of the local maids whenever they see there is an opportunity to demand lower pay,' she said.



Paying levy a privilege for some, but still a heavy burden for most