Page 5 - Retailers_Winter_2012

Message from Legislative Councillor Functional Constituency Representative for Wholesale & Retail

立法會議員之話 批發及零售界功能組別代表

Hon. Vincent Fang, SBS, JP

方剛先生

萬期待的新任行政長官首份《施政報告》已經發表， 其民望在報告發表後大幅下跌，相信主要是市民未見 有任何「派糖」措施之故！因為動用政府財政的具體 措施，要留待2013年2月27日財政司司長的《財政預 算案》了！

雖然各政黨對《施政報告》的評價有較大的落差，但 個人認為報告基本上是及格的。在一定程度上反映行 政長官是就競選時所作的承諾交了成績表，尤其針對 目前最嚴重的住屋難和土地供應缺乏的問題，總算交 代了短期和中長期的規劃方案，包括復建居屋、活化 工廈、開發新界東北和大嶼山土地等。其次是對社會 各界提出對老、弱、貧、病的關顧作出回應，表示會 增加資源去改善。

經濟方面，最令人放心的是行政長官開宗明義表示： 「堅決維持香港簡單稅制和低稅率的營商環境」。我 理解為他在5年任期不會增加利得稅或考慮商品及服 務稅。至於其他的回應，儘管他認同香港經濟不應過 於依賴金融和房地產，認為香港有需要擴大產業化， 但具體如何促進香港經濟持續發展呢？他只表示會交 由特別成立的「經濟發展委員會」研究。對本土經濟 的持續發展，就未有任何實質措施了！

對批發及零售行業而言，行政長官未有交到功課！競 選期間，多位選委曾反映香港的商舖供應遠遠落後於 商業發展，導致舖租脫軌以倍數飆升；以及希望政府 投放更多力度支持本土經濟，包括旅遊和會展業的 發展。行政長官當選後多次向業界及本人表示了解並 表示會採取措施增加商舖的供應，以及會在《施政報 告》中回應。雖然，經濟發展委員會下設會展及旅遊 業小組，也成立了中醫藥發展委員會，並會撥款優化 露天市集和會增加寫字樓的供應，但對商舖的供應，

The much anticipated Policy Address has now been released but it was met with sharp decline in the public rating of the Chief Executive. This can probably be explained by the Government decision not to dash out cash at this juncture. Any measure that touches upon Government fiscal position would have to be announced in the Financial Secretary's Budget on 27 February, 2013.

Although the Policy Address received mixed responses from the various political parties, I for one would give it a passing grade. To a certain extent, the Chief Executive has indeed delivered some of his election promises made last year. This is particular the case with the housing issue and the shortage of land supply. The Chief Executive has offered short-term, mid-term and long-term solutions including the resumption of the Home Ownership Scheme, the revitalisation of industrial buildings, the development of the New Territories Northeast area and the possibility of finding suitable development lands on Lantau Island etc. The Chief Executive also responded to calls for relief policies and increased resources to help the elderly, the under privileged and the sick.

The Chief Executive delivered a most reassuring statement when he said: "Hong Kong should continue to follow the fundamental principle of maintaining a low and simple tax regime." I also understand the Chief Executive will not raise profits tax or reconsider the introduction of Goods & Services Tax during his five-year term. On the one hand, he recognized that Hong Kong should not be over reliant on the financial and the real estate sectors and there is a need to diversify our economy. On the other hand, the Chief Executive stopped short of offering any concrete solution. Instead, he merely handed over the task to the newly established Economic Development Commission. And policies to help sustain our local economy were completely missing in the entire Policy Address.

The Chief Executive has also failed to deliver regarding measures to aid the wholesale and retail sectors. During his election campaign, some members of the Election Committee had expressed the view that the shortage of shop spaces in Hong Kong was acute which led to the spiralling of rentals. These Election Committee members urged the Government to allot more resources to suppor t the local economy including tourism, and convention and exhibition

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