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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1976
NEW RATE SET FOR TRAINING LEVY
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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A MOTION SETTING THE RATE OF LEVY UNDER THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (CLOTHING INDUSTRY) ORDINANCE 1975 AT 30 CENTS FOR EVERY $1,000, OR PART THEREOF THE F.O.B. (FREE ON BOARD) VALUE OF THE CLOTHING ITEMS EXPORTED.
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IT ALSO APPROVED THE CANCELLATION OF A PREVIOUS RESOLUTION PRESCRIBING THE RATE OF LEVY AS 0.03 PER CENT OF THE F.0.B. VALUE.
IN MOVING THE MOTION, THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN, SAID THAT THE PREVIOUS RATE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, HE SAID, IT WAS NOT MADE SUFFICIENTLY CLEAR TO THE AUTHORITY BY THE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING THE LEVY THAT THIS RATE OF 0.03 PER CENT WAS LIKELY TO CAUSE ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS.
MR. TIEN SAID THAT THE AD VALOREM CHARGES IMPOSED UNDER THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (REGISTRATION) REGULATIONS WERE CALCULATED AT THE RATE OF SO MUCH PER $1,000 OR PART THEREOF.
+ IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE CONVENIENT IF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING LEVY, WHICH IS IN FACT COLLECTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE AD VALOREM CHARGES ON CLOTHING EXPORTS, WAS EXPRESSED IN A SIMILAR MANNER, HE ADDED.
MR. TIEN SAID IT WAS MUCH SIMPLER AND THEREFORE QUICKER FOR THE SHROFFS TO MAKE THE CALCULATION AT 30 CENTS PER $1,000 AND ALSO LESS CONFUSING TO THE PUBLIC WHICH WAS ACCUSTOMED TO THIS FORM OF CALCULATION.
+AND BECAUSE CALCULATION OF THE LEVY IS SIMPLIFIED, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF ITS COLLECTION, WHICH ARE DEBITED TO THE AUTHORITY, ARE MINIMISED, THEREBY ENSURING THAT AS GREAT A PART AS POSSIBLE OF THE PROCEEDS OF THE LEVY CAN BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FOR WHICH THEY ARE INTENDED, HE ADDED.
+FURTHERMORE, AND EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, THE PUBLIC WILL SPEND LESS TIME QUEUING AT THE COLLECTION COUNTERS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BECOME INCREASINGLY BUSY AS TRADE IMPROVES.+
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