Legco kicks off debate on budget bill

Legislators on Wednesday began a three-day debate on the financial secretary's budget blueprint, with many of them praising Paul Chan's efforts to boost the economy despite a deficit of more than HK$100 million. Various lawmakers lauded Chan for responding to their demands, such as removing all property-cooling measures. DAB chairman Gary Chan said the financial secretary offered much support to the people and various business sectors. "The budget actively promotes the comprehensive development of our economy. There are measures to support the SMEs in tapping foreign markets. There's also support for IT development. It will build a Hong Kong brand comprehensively," he said. The DAB chair also said it's high time Hong Kong reviewed comprehensively its advantages and complemented with other cities in the Greater Bay Area, so that the region can enjoy development synergies. For his part, Business and Professionals Alliance chairman Lo Wai-kwok described Paul Chan as a "master chef" who came up with "popular and healthy dishes" despite the budget shortfall. "The secretary has been tightening the purse strings while rolling out a series of measures to stimulate the economy so as to make sure government initiatives would be popular. It's not an easy task," he said. Election Committee lawmaker Chan Pui-leung, meanwhile, said officials should look into widening Hong Kong's tax base as soon as possible, noting the public coffers would be hit particularly hard during economic downturns. A vote on the budget is scheduled to take place in two weeks.