John Lee promises janitors improvements on waste charging scheme during Chai Wan inspection

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu promised frontline janitors that there will be improvements for the pilot program of the pay-as-you-throw waste charging scheme after he and other officials visited janitors who complained of longer working hours and heavier workloads. 

In the pre-recorded video uploaded on Facebook on Labour Day, Lee visited Lin Tsui Estate in Chai Wan – one of the premises participating in the pilot program – along with Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han and Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan. 

Stanley Ng Chau-pei and Kingsley Wong Kwok, president and chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, joined the visit as well. 

“I thank laborers for their hard work and services to citizens. I also express my respect to all laborers in Hong Kong and extend gratitude for their contribution in different sectors to the prosperity of Hong Kong,” Lee said. 

In the video, a janitor explained the waste disposal routine to Lee and said the original collection process only took about three hours. Yet, under the pilot program they now have to separate the refuse into different categories and put the rubbish in the designated rubbish bags. 

“Now it takes about six hours.” the janitor told Lee. “Six hours? I understand. We will go back and review each part of the process,” Lee replied. 

Another janitor told Lee her workload has increased by almost half under the pilot program and Lee said the government wishes to enhance the scheme continuously. Lee also encouraged the janitor to reflect more opinions to the government for future improvements. 

On a separate note, Lee said he has some good news and that is the government has accepted the Minimum Wage Commission’s proposal to review the minimum wage annually and adopting a new formula to facilitate the review. 

He added he looks forward to cooperating with social sectors to create a reasonable, fair and safe work environment for laborers in Hong Kong so that all can strive for a better future together.