Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Matthew Cheung has announced that $29 billion will be earmarked annually for public works projects in the next five years to ease unemployment amongst construction workers.

Speaking at a dinner hosted by the Construction Industry Employees General Union tonight, Mr Cheung said some water mains replacement and rehabilitation projects will launch by year's-end, offering 2,500 job opportunities.

The Tamar development project, scheduled to start next year, will create 2,700 more jobs.

"With the robust growth in tourism, 37 new hotels will be completed in the next five years. A considerable number of job opportunities will be created during the construction period," he said.

Mr Cheung said the Government attaches great importance to upholding the rights and benefits of construction workers even though the employment rate has improved.

More convictions

The Labour Department has stepped up prosecution of offending employers. In 2005 it secured 141 convicted summonses against wage offences in the construction industry - up 22% on 116 the year before.

In the first five months of this year, there were 109 convicted summonses in the sector, up 79% from 61 for the same period last year.

To better deter defaulting employers, the maximum penalty for wage offences has been lifted to a $350,000-fine and three years jail.

The department established an early warning system with trade unions in the construction sector in 2002 to collect intelligence on wage defaults.

"Upon receiving reports of labour disputes from the unions, the Labour Relations Division will provide conciliation services and follow up the cases instantly," Mr Cheung said.

The number of industrial accidents has fallen 81.9% from 19,588 in 1998 to 3,548 last year, while the accident rate per thousand workers fell 75.9% from 247.9 to 59.9.