With Hong Kong leader John Lee set to deliver his annual policy address on September 17, the Post examines key topics the chief executive is expected to focus on, including a mega infrastructure project near the border, new economic drivers and livelihood issues.

Hong Kong carpenter Benny Hung is distressed about how hard it is to land work in recent months, his anxiety rising as his monthly income plummeted from HK$30,000 (US$3,850) to just HK$6,000.

In the past, the 43-year-old father of two could find work on construction sites easily, averaging 20 working days a month to support his family.

But since earlier this year, he has been finding it increasingly difficult to get jobs, with his work days dropping to about 15 in April and bottoming out to just 3½ in August.

He has put aside his carpenter licence – which he trained for four years to obtain – to take up any work he can find, from cleaning to renovation.

Hung, who specialised in erecting formwork on sites, believes his plight is caused by the imported labour policy in the construction sector, which has brought an influx of foreign workers in recent years.