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Dear friends,
The first session of the second term of the Legislative Council (LegCo)
has come to an end. In this issue of Eric's Bits & Bytes, there will
be a summary of my work. I hope you will continue to tell me your views,
so that I can try my best to make your voices heard.
As regards the Government's fiscal structure and the interpretation of
Article 107 of the Basic Law, I have written a number of articles, which
have attracted serious attention of academics as well as the LegCo Panel
on Financial Affairs. In addition, regarding Hong Kong's housing policy,
I have published two articles in the press and the electronic media, calling
for a review of the housing policy. My remarks have met with very positive
public response, and received much support from newspaper editorials.
People are overjoyed at Beijing's success in its bid for the 2008 Olympic
Games. Yet apart from sharing the excitement, we should learn from and
cherish the spirit of persistence it demonstrates, which Hong Kong lacks.
If the Government wants to boost our morale, it should adopt timely and
appropriate policies. Hong Kong's property market is one of the worst
disaster areas after the financial turmoil. Thus we should conduct a comprehensive
review, properly handle the restructuring of Hong Kong's economy, and
restore public confidence in our economic future.
Eric Li Ka-cheung
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Officiating at the annual meeting of the Hong Kong Sports Association
for the Mentally Handicapped. |
As the officiating guest at the
Fifth International Convention and Exhibition organized by the
World Organization for Early Childhood Education HK. |
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Attending the Annual Award Presentation
Ceremony of the HKSA. |
Pictured at the dinner of the
Certified Management Accountants Society of British Columbia,
Hong Kong Branch. |
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In tribute to the outgoing president Dr Daniel Tse of Hong Kong
Baptist University. |
Giving his officiating speech at the graduation
ceremony of Henrietta Secondary School. |
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Appointed as member of the University Court of the Hong Kong
Polytechnic University. |
On the Go West tour led by Chief Secretary for
Administration Donald Tsang. |
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COMMITMENT AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (2000-2001): A SUMMARY
For details, please go to: http://www.ericli.org
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Having served as member of 14 Bills Committees, Eric Li won the
honour "King of Bills Committees". |
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Bills Committees on Securities & Futures Bill and Banking (Amendment)
Bill 2000
Bills Committee on Rehabilitation Centres Bill
Bills Committee on Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2000
Bills Committee on Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2000
Bills Committee on Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2001
Bills Committee on Drug Trafficking and Organized Crimes (Amendment)
Bill 2000
Bills Committee on Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
Bill
Bills Committee on Education (Amendment) Bill 2000
Bills Committee on Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2001
Bills Committee on Chief Executive Election Bill
Bills Committee on Copyright (Suspension of Amendments) Bill 2001
Bills Committee on Banking (Amendment) Bill 2001
Bills Committee on Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Amendment) Bill
2001
Bills Committee on Companies (Corporate Rescue) Bill |
Independent legislator Eric Li Ka-cheung, member of 13 bills committee,
became the "King of Bills Committee". With a smile, Mr Li said
that he never expected that he could win such an honour, because he spent
most of his time on the Public Accounts Committee. (13 July 2001, Apple
Daily)
Subcommittee on draft Telecommunications (Method for Determining
Spectrum Utilization Fees) (Third Generation Mobile Services) Regulation
and draft Telecommunications (Designation of Frequency Bands Subject to
Payment of Spectrum Utilization Fees) Order
Subcommittee on Telecommunications (Method for Determining Spectrum Utilization
Fees) (Third Generation Mobile Services) Regulation and Telecommunications
(Designation of Frequency Bands Subject to Payment of Spectrum Utilization
Fees) Order
(When scrutinizing the bills, I made many speeches, some of which are
not included in this issue due to limited space.)
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Joined as member of the following standing committees and
Panels |
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Public Accounts Committee (Chairman)
House Committee
Finance Committee
- Establishment Subcommittee
- Public Works Subcommittee
Panel on Financial Affairs
Panel on Economic Services
Panel on Education
Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting |
| (I was absent from two LegCo meetings, as I was on the
Go West Tour in May.) |
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2 oral questions, 14 written questions, and 10 supplementary
questions |
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Determination of the number and prices of HOS units to be sold in
the coming year (6 December 2000, oral question) Statistics
on flats produced and put up for sale by various organizations (11
July 2001, oral question)
Government's effort to assist professionals in exploring development
opportunities outside Hong Kong (1 November 2000, written question)
Proposal to bid for staging the next All China Games in Hong Kong
(13 December 2000, written question)
Review of the government financial reporting policy (28 March 2001,
written question)
Back tax recovered by the Field Audit Group of the Inland Revenue
Department (4 April 2001, written question)
Breakdowns on profits tax and salaries tax revenue in 2000-01 (4
April 2001, written question)
Projected daily stock transaction volumes used by the Government
and SFC when they prepared their budgets (25 April 2001, written
question)
Provision of a one-off grant to disabled athletes (2 May 2001,
written question)
Advance polling arrangements for Legislative Council general election
(9 May 2001, written question)
Low level of funding approved by the Innovation and Technology
Fund (16 May 2001, written question)
Support for Hong Kong representatives participating in international
cultural and sports activities (23 May 2001, written question)
Sending and receiving mobile phone short messages between customers
of different mobile phone network operators (23 May 2001, written
question)
Civil servants involved in bankruptcy cases (30 May 2001, written
question)
Improve the curriculum of secondary schools with a view to improving
young people's ability to cope with daily lives (27 June 2001, written
question)
Appointment of young people to advisory boards and committees (4
July 2001, written question) |
| (Supplementary questions are not included due to
limited space) |
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Important speeches at LegCo meetings |
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Response in the Motion of Thanks to CE's 2000 Policy Address (25
October 2000) Response to the 2001 Budget Speech (29 March 2001)
Report No. 35 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) (14 February
2000)
Report No. 36 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) (4 July 2001)
Report of the Independent Police Complaints Council 2000 (26 June
2001) |
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Motion Debates |
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Motion on "Terminating the appointment of the Senior Special
Assistant to the Chief Executive" (8 November 2000) Motion
on "Smart identity card" (6 December 2000)
Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses
Ordinance (13 December 2000)
Motion on "Public Order Ordinance" (20 December 2000)
Motion on "Youth unemployment" (7 February 2001)
Motion on "Protecting the interests of small depositors of
banks" (14 February 2001)
Motion on "Proposals for the next Budget" (14 February
2001)
Motion on "Negative assets" (21 February 2001)
Motion on "Treatment of terminal patients" (2 May 2001)
Motion on "The cosmopolitan city" (11 July 2001) |
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3 reports submitted to HKSA |
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20th Legco Report to HKSA Council (14 December 2000) 21st Legco
Report to HKSA Council (25 April 2001)
22nd Legco Report to HKSA Council (19 June 2001) |
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6 articles published in The Hong Kong Accountant |
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"Winner Takes It All" (November 2000) "General
Y Accountants" (December 2000)
"Use Knowledge Mindfully" (January 2001)
"Fiscal Structure Needs Review" (March 2001)
"An Honest Account" (April 2001)
"Let the Best Serve Hong Kong" (May 2001)
"Small Step, Great Leap" (June 2001) |
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4 articles published in newspapers and electronic media |
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"An inevitable structural deficit" (1 March 2001, Ta
Kung Pao; 2 March 2001, Hong Kong Economic Times) "Letter
to Hong Kong" (17 June 2001, RTHK; Reported in major newspapers
the next day)
"The two railways need to be self-financing before increasing
fares" (27 June 2001, Hong Kong Economic Times)
"A letter to the Secretary for Housing" (9, 10, and 11
July 2001, reported in various newspapers and the electronic media) |
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16 meetings with consultants and voters |
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29 November 2000
6 December 2000
13 December 2000
10 January 2001
17 January 2001
14 February 2001
21 February 2001
23 February 2001
7 March 2001
23 March 2001
4 April 2001
25 April 2001
18 May 2001
20 June 2001
22 June 2001
4 July 2001 |
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QUESTIONS RAISED AND DEBATES |
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88 young people appointed to advisory boards
and committees |
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Inclusion of a practical subject in secondary
school curriculum to help young people cope better in daily lives |
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Vicissitudes of the property market |
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The first episode: Letter to Hong
Kong |
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Eric Li: Government was to blame for our weak
property market |
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Housing Authority and Housing Society were to
blame for market confusion |
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The second episode: A letter to the
Secretary for Housing |
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Stop subsidizing HOS and leave prime land for
private sales, legislators urged |
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The third episode: questions raised
at LegCo meeting |
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Government indirectly made public flats dominate
entire propery market |
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ADVICE FOR ACTION |
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$50 million for "Self-employment Business
Start-up Assistance Scheme" |
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Academics suggested: 30 more directly-elected
seats in LegCo |
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David Li thanks Eric Li for supporting two private
bills |
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Invited to write the Foreword to Hong
Kong GAAP: A Practical Guide to Generally Accepted Accounting Practice
(second edition) |
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NEWS DIGEST |
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Two railways' long term profits |
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Legalization the last resort |
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Advice to Antony Leung: don't talk too much in
public |
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Government: no subsidy for Cyberport rent |
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VTC School of Business and Information Systems
offer new accountancy courses |
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Legislators do their bit to rush the Securities
and Futures Bill through |
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Nightclub employees should pay tax |
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