Appendix II

• Since May 1998, 236 works contracts/consultancy agreements worth a total of $16.4 billion have commenced and some 18,600 jobs comprising 3,100 at the professional/supervisory level and 15,500 at the operative level have been created.
  
  
• Considering the possibility of advancing some more projects.

• Started minor maintenance works worth a total of $99 million.
  
  
• 1,150 jobs created as of 31 January 1999.

• 44 temporary works supervisors have been employed since 9 November 1998 for managing the works projects and supervising the works contracts.
  
  
• Contracts for 104 projects worth a total of $15 million have been awarded as at the end of January 1999, creating about 610 jobs.

• The 33rd Hong Kong Products Expo was staged between 18 December 1998 and 11 January 1999.
  
  
• For the first quarter of 1999, two more events will be held: Hong Kong Lantern and Temple Festival (5 February to 3 March 1999) and the Chinese New Year Parade (16 February 1999). There are also other organisers who have indicated interest in staging activities such as exhibitions, carnivals, games and entertainment at the site in 1999.
  
  

• Some of the works contracts have been awarded and the rest will be awarded in batches.
  
  
• Around 2 720 new jobs for various construction trades have been created by the end of January 1999.

• The Home Affairs Department has, in conjunction with the Labour Department, been recruiting the 3 590 Temporary Community Organisers from late November 1998 onwards. Around 7 601 applications have been received as at 8 February 1999 and about 2 926 vacancies have been filled.
  
  

• Capacity of JMP doubled from 2 July 1998, with an additional team of two staff at each of the 11 Local Employment Service (LES) offices of the Labour Department.
  
  
• In January 1999, the JMP registered 1,509 registrants and arranged 10,800 job referrals. 639 placements were secured, as compared to 729 in the previous month.

• Services commenced at all 11 LES offices from 6 July 1998.
  
  
• In January 1999, LES received a total of 12,400 telephone calls from job-seekers seeking job referral service. 9,079 referrals, as compared to 5,635 in the last month, were arranged.
  
  
• In January 1999, LES obtained consent from 1,850 employers involving 4,068 vacancies (i.e. 50.8% of the total number of vacancies received) to display their information at LES so that job-seekers can contact them direct for arranging job interviews. During the month, employers cancelled their open orders for a total of 1,382 vacancies. A large percentage of these vacancies are believed to have been filled by job-seekers who contacted the employers direct for job application.
  
  
• The Department set up a Telephone Employment Service Centre in North Point on 21 December 1998 with a view to further strengthening the telephone referral service. To enhance operational efficiency, a Job Vacancy Processing Centre has also been set up to centralise the receipt and processing of vacancy orders, as well as the dissemination of vacancy information to LES offices.

• Completed the installation of additional computers at all LES offices and 10 Labour Relations Service offices in October 1998.

• The Programme commenced in August 1998.
  
  
• As of 31 January 1999, visits and promotional activities under this programme have reached out to 1,047 employers and 17,740 job-seekers.
  
  

• From 9 July 1998, ERB has provided two telephone hotlines -- one for employers and the other for employees. Up to 31 January 1999, a total of 6,421 and 27,571 telephone enquiries from employers and employees respectively werehandled and 4,740 vacancies registered.
  
  
• With enhanced promotion and extension of office hours to 7 pm and during lunch hours, 5,595 potential retrainees have approached the "one-stop" service team at ERB Executive Office for consultation and/or submission of applications for various retraining courses since July 1998. Whenever required, officer-rank staff provide in-depth information on courses available, location of training bodies and placement results of relevant retraining courses to help applicants select appropriate courses that suit their own interests and abilities.
  
  
• The one-stop service team also provides enhanced follow-up service for employers approaching the ERB for enquiries or assistance.
  
  

• Classes commenced on 14 September 1998, with 600 places provided by the Technical Institutes and 400 by training bodies.
  
  
• Graduate trainees with Secondary 3 education will be allowed to apply for three civil service posts--Clerical Assistant, Supplies Attendant and Supplies Assistant.
  
  
• A total of 916 students completed the first term successfully. As some students have dropped out to take up employment, to better utilize the remaining training places, 74 students who were previously on the waiting list were topped-up in the second term which commenced in mid December 1998. There were 966 students on the course as at 25 January 1999.

• The first class of the special seafarer training course for 21 trainees commenced on 9 September 1998. The main classroom training completed on 19 December 1998. As at 6 January 1999, 4 trainees have dropped out, 8 trainees are required to attend missing classes to make up for the course. Among the 9 graduates, 8 have already joined or will join the maritime or related industry, e.g. as sailor or Junior General Purpose Rating etc.
  
  

• The additional 1,000 places are spread over 10 one-year courses. Of these, 2 are existing courses while 8 are new ones. The new courses aim at facilitating graduates either to secure jobs direct, or to pursue further studies.
  
  
• Classes commenced on 12 October 1998.

• The one-year full-time Construction Supervisor/Technician Training Programme commenced in mid-September 1998, providing a total of 600 training places.
  
  
• The various Short Courses suitable for Secondary 5 leavers (totalling 916 training places) and lasting for about three months commenced since September 1998 in accordance with the planned capacity.
  
  

• The ERB's one-stop service received 5,634 enquiries, and 2,143 vacancies on domestic helpers from July 1998 to January 1999. ERB is working closely with its training bodies in coordinating the process of matching trainees with domestic helper vacancies in different geographical districts.
  
  
• ERB is taking active steps to encourage its training bodies to increase their training capacity for domestic helpers especially those on the Hong Kong Island where plentiful job vacancies remain unfilled. In addition to the recently set up training centres in Wan Chai and Shaukiwan, some training bodies are exploring new possible sites, e.g. Western District, for conducting domestic helper training programmes. As a result of the expanded efforts, over 2,700 retrainees have benefited from such training during the latter half of 1998, representing a 250 % increase over the number for the first half of the year.
  
  
• ERB has approached the Hotel Industry Training Centre of VTC and trade associations in hotel industry for securing practical facilities and training opportunities in domestic helper programmes in order to enhance the course quality.
  
  
• Training bodies have strengthened their placement efforts in job-matching of domestic helpers programme by maintaining a central register of both retrainees to be placed and employers in need of domestic helpers. Some training bodies are trying to offer "job-packages" comprising different part-time jobs within the proximity to retrainees to save their travelling time and expenses. Computer software have been developed by some training bodies to increase their efficiency in job-matching.
  
  
• ERB has strengthened its promotional efforts to publicize the course. A marketing flyer was developed and issued in later October 1998. An Announcement of Public Interest (API) on ERS with a special focus on domestic helpers training has been featuring on television since mid-October 1998. Special promotion campaigns such as mini exhibitions and road shows have been held on the Hong Kong Island in late 1998 to publicize the training programme, distribute leaflets and facilitate walk-in retrainees, which have attracted 150 retrainees to take on the courses. Moreover, domestic helpers training will be highlighted in the forthcoming "Retraining and Employment Expo" to be held in March 1999.
  
  
• The ERB has maintained close liaison with concerned government departments, e.g. Labour Department, Social Welfare Department, to provide retraining and job matching services to the unemployed and CSSA recipients.

• Five UGC-funded institutions have over-enrolled about 460 students in their TPg programmes in the 1998/99 academic year. 18 Extending the Non-Means-Tested Loan Scheme to benefit some 61,000 additional tertiary students
  
  
• Proposal approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 17 July 1998.
  
  
• Since implementation on 28 September 1998, 1, 664 applications have been approved and $37.6 million has been disbursed. The average loan amount is $22, 600.
  
  

• Classes commenced on 16 September 1998.
  
  
• Education Department is operating 25 classes of Secondary 5 in five school premises to provide 1,000 additional places.

• The Immigration (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 1998 was passed by the Legislative Council on 27 January 1999. The Ordinance was gazetted on 5 February 1999 and has taken effect from 12 February 1999.
  
  
• In the meantime, Immigration Department will continue with its vigorous enforcement efforts such as conducting large-scale operations, and the Labour Department will conduct more inspections at workplaces to clamp down on illegal employment more effectively and efficiently.

• Effective from 22 June 1998.
  
  

• The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 31 July 1998 approved a commitment of $2.5 billion for the setting up of a Special Finance Scheme for Small and Medium Enterprises. The Scheme was launched on 24 August 1998.
  
  
• As of 10 February 1999, a total of 1,004 applications has been referred to the Government by participating lending institutions. With the exception of 13 applications which have been withdrawn by the applicants, all of the applications have been approved. The cumulative amounts of guarantee approved and the loan involved are about $634 million and $1,292 million respectively. The Government is currently conducting a comprehensive review of the Scheme. The aim of the review is to assess the feedback of the Scheme; whether the Scheme has met its objective of assisting SMEs to obtain financing; and whether and how improvements should be made. It is expected that the review could be completed in early 1999.
  
  

• Suspension to take effect from 22 June, 1998.
  
  
• Land sales to resume from April 1999 after review.

• The Housing Authority approved on 23 July 1998 the increase of quota from 4,500 to 10,000 for the next 12 months up to July 1999.

• Taken effect on 23 June, 1998

• Taken effect on 1 August, 1998.

• The rebate will be credited against the October to December 1998 quarterly rates bill if there has been no change in ratepayers since April 1998. For other cases, a refund of the rates paid will be arranged as soon as the ratepayers
  
  
• status is clarified.
  
  

• Taken effect on 1 April, 1998.