The Government announced today (March 1) the appointments to the Minimum Wage Commission (MWC) for a two-year term with effect from March 1, 2017.

     The Chief Executive has appointed Ms Priscilla Wong Pui-sze as the chairperson of the MWC and appointed its 12 members from the labour sector, the business sector, the academia and the Government. The chairperson and the nine non-official members have been appointed on an ad personam basis.

     Among the non-official members, Mr Bankee Kwan Pak-hoo, Mr Lau Chin-shek, Professor Leung Siu-fai, Ms Li Fung-ying, Professor Terry Lum Yat-sang, Mr Simon Wong Kit-lung and Mr Kingsley Wong Kwok are serving members, while Mrs Katherine Ngan Ng Yu-ying and Professor Raymond So Wai-man are newly appointed.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Stephen Sui, welcomed the appointments. He said, "The Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) rate impacts on Hong Kong's labour market, society and economy. The chairperson and members of the MWC for the new term possess a wealth of knowledge and experience in various fields. I am confident that the MWC will continue to discharge its important statutory function effectively."

     Mr Sui also thanked the outgoing chairperson, Mr Jat Sew-tong, SC for his excellent leadership, and two outgoing members, Ms Lau Ka-shi and Professor Suen Wing-chuen, for their sterling contributions to the MWC.

     The MWC is established under the Minimum Wage Ordinance with the main function of reporting to the Chief Executive in Council its recommendations on the SMW rate. In performing its function, the MWC must have regard to the need to maintain an appropriate balance between the objectives of forestalling excessively low wages and minimising the loss of low-paid jobs, and the need to sustain Hong Kong's economic growth and competitiveness.

     The membership of the MWC for the next term is as follows:
 
Chairperson
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Ms Priscilla Wong Pui-sze (newly appointed)
 
Non-official Members
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Mr Bankee Kwan Pak-hoo
Mr Lau Chin-shek
Professor Leung Siu-fai
Ms Li Fung-ying
Professor Terry Lum Yat-sang
Mr Simon Wong Kit-lung
Mr Kingsley Wong Kwok
Mrs Katherine Ngan Ng Yu-ying (newly appointed)
Professor Raymond So Wai-man (newly appointed)
 
Members who are public officers
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Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
(Commerce, Industry and Tourism)
Government Economist

Ends/Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:10

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