Guest Comments by Emily Lau

Editor's Note: One of Hong Kong's most outspoken and popular politicians, the writer represents the Democratic Party.

HONG KONG -- I write to endorse an editorial in the Hong Kong media titled Without School Places, We Lose Out. A lack of places in quality international schools has a detrimental impact on Hong Kong's business environment. Business people from overseas won't come to work here unless their children's educational needs can be met.

For years, members of the Democratic Party and I have received complaints from people in various chambers of commerce, saying that Hong Kong's competitive edge gets undermined by an absence of places in good international schools.

Repeatedly, this problem has been raised in the Legislative Council, where members realize the damage inflicted on Hong Kong as an international financial center. In the past few months, three oral questions were asked on this topic, but failed to push chief executive Donald Tsang's administration to take urgent remedial action.

Recently, I made the same point at a meeting of the government's business facilitation advisory committee. The committee was told that the government has commissioned a study on the topic with the results to be available late this year.

It's infuriating that various government departments cannot co-ordinate their efforts effectively to solve this pressing problem. Many companies will locate in other cities, places with adequate good international schools.