LC Paper No. LS 228/98-99

The Secretary for Education and Manpower has given notice to move a motion under section 6(1) of the General Holidays Ordinance (Cap. 149) ("the Ordinance") on 7 July 1999. The purpose of the motion is to appoint 31 December 1999 as a general holiday in addition to the existing general holidays kept by all banks, educational establishments, public offices and Government departments.

2. Section 6(1)(a) of the Ordinance provides that the Legislative Council may by resolution appoint any day in any particular year to be observed as a general holiday in addition to, or in substitution for, any day specified in the Schedule to the Ordinance.

3. According to the LegCo Brief File Ref. FSB G6/13/20 II issued by the Financial Services Bureau on 15 June 1999 on the Readiness of the Financial Services Sector for the Millennium Transition, the Hong Kong Association of Banks has asked for a general holiday on 31 December 1999 as a measure to prevent and mitigate possible disruptions caused by the Y2K problem, so that banks may orderly close for business and complete all essential back-up operations on that day. Members may refer to paragraphs 18 to 22 and the Annex of the LegCo Brief for details.

4. The proposed resolution is legally in order.

Prepared by


Wong Sze-man, Bernice
Assistant Legal Adviser
Legislative Council Secretariat
23 June 1999
Resolution/LS/R/17/98-99