WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1983
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FROM AUGUST 15, 1983, IT WILL BE MANDATORY FOR ALL CIGARETTE PACKETS AND RETAIL CONTAINERS ON SALE IN HONG KONG TO CARRY THE SAME WARNING AND THE APPROPRIATE TAR GROUP DESIGNATION.
TO PROMOTE GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH HAZARD OF SMOKING, PLANS ARE IN HAND FOR A MAJOR PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ON ANTI-SMOKING TO BE LAUNCHED LATER THIS YEAR, MR HO DISCLOSED.
VIDEO GAMES CENTRE LICENSING BEING REVIEWED
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LICENSING CONDITIONS FOR VIDEO GAMES CENTRES AND THE IR ENFORCEMENT WERE BEING REVIEWED AS A RESULT OF SHORTCOMINGS THAT HAD EMERGED, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR BRAY SAID THAT ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES WERE BEING CONSIDERED IN THE REVIEW, INCLUDING THE CANCELLATION AND SUSPENSION OF LICENSES IN CASES OF PERSISTENT OFFENDERS.
HE REPORTED THAT CERTAIN OPERATORS WERE, FOR INSTANCE, ALLOWING UNDERAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN THE GAMES AND THAT 699 SUMMONSES HAD BEEN ISSUED BY POLICE DURING THE FIRST 11 MONTHS OF 1982 FOR BREACHES OF LICENSING CONDITIONS.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG.
MR BRAY SAID VIDEO GAMES CENTRES WERE NEW AND WERE FUN, BUT THEY COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS.
+IN DRAWING UP LICENSING CONDITIONS WE AIMED AT KEEPING THE FUN WHILE PREVENTING THE PROBLEMS.
+NOW THAT A GOOD MANY CENTRES HAVE BEEN RUNNING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE WHETHER WE GOT THE BALANCE RIGHT.
+GENERALLY SPEAKING WE WERE NOT FAR OUT BUT SHORTCOMINGS HAVE EMERGED, MR BRAY SAID.
FOR THIS REASON, THE GOVERNMENT WAS REVIEWING THE LICENSING CONDITIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.
HE SAID THAT THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS WERE BEING SOUGHT ON THESE POINTS.
ALL VIDEO GAMES IN LICENSED CENTRES, MR BRAY SAID, HAD TO BE APPROVED IN ADVANCE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING.
PROSECUTION WOULD BE EFFECTED IF VIDEO GAMES THAT ARE NOT APPROVED ARE INSTALLED IN THE CENTRES.
ENFORCEMENT IN THIS AREA SEEMED TO BE GENERALLY SATISFACTORY, MR BRAY SAID.
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