More workers seek back-pay from government fund
Applications to the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund jumped 24 per cent between April and October this year, involving claims for ex gratia payments of about HK$217.6 million. According to figures tabled in the legislature yesterday, the fund received 3,258 applications, compared with 2,627 for the same period last year. The biggest rise of 322 per cent in applications was from the 'financing, insurance, real estate and business services' industry, from 148 a year ago to 624 this year. There was, however, about a 50 per cent drop in applications from the construction industry, from 784 to 394. The fund received 387 and 297 applications for September and October respectively, involving claims for ex gratia payments of HK$15.93 million and HK$14.07 million respectively.
Lawmakers propose ways to cut cross-harbour tunnel tolls
Lawmakers have passed a motion urging the government to lower the tolls at the Eastern and Western harbour tunnels by buying out the tunnel companies, extending their franchises or buying some of their shares in exchange for tunnel ownership. Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said the authorities had commissioned studies into how to balance traffic flow in the three cross-harbour tunnels and would talk to the companies on the proposed arrangements.
Pan-democrats want former bank workers to testify in Legco
Pan-democrat lawmakers have invited frontline workers from banks that sold Lehman Brothers-related minibonds to give evidence in the Legislative Council. Speaking after a pan-democratic meeting yesterday, Democrat Kam Nai-wai said two people who had resigned from banks that had sold such investment products were willing to testify before a Legco subcommittee set up to study issues arising from sales of the minibonds. But Ip Kwok-him from the Beijing-friendly lawmakers' camp said further discussion was needed about whether Legco should allow the former bank workers to testify.
