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Wednesday, December 13, 1972
HIGHER FINES FOR HARBOUR POLLUTION OFFENCES
An amending bill to provide increased penalties for permitting
the discharge of oil either from ships or from the land may be introduced
into the Legislative Council shortly.
The Acting Attorney General, the Hon. G.R. Sneath, said today
that under the bill, the existing penalty of $4,000 maximum would be replaced
by a maximum fine of $20,000.
Speaking in the Legislative Council in reply to the Hon. Wilson Wang,
he said the most serious threat of pollution in Hong Kong's harbour and on
beaches comes from oil which may be discharged from ships or even from shore
installations.
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"The problem has been recognised; and indeed a sub-committee of the Port
Executive Committee has been set up to deal specifically with this matter,
he said.
He said the amending bill has been submitted to the Executive Council,
and authority has been given for its introduction into the Legislative Council
pending any recommendations which the sub-committee may make.
He told the council that the threat of serious oil pollution from the
sunken Queen Elizabeth ceased to exist on November 30 when the work of removing
the oil from that vessel was completed.
So far as litter is concerned, Mr. Sneath said there is our new
legislation with maximum fines which are given plenty of publicity.
There would seem to be no reason to suggest that these fines are
inadequate seeing that they go up to $2,000, he added.
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