WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1983
15
CRIME DETECTION RATE HIGH
***
THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IS SATISFIED THAT WITHIN PRESENT RESOURCES, SUFFICIENT POLICE OFFICERS ARE EMPLOYED TO DETER AND COMBAT ARMED ROBBERIES.
THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON PATRICK WILLIAMSON, SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON WONG LAM,
HE ALSO DISCLOSED THAT SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR 160 ROBBERIES HAD BEEN REPORTED IN WHICH FIREARMS OR PISTOL-LIKE OBJECTS WERE USED, WITH 21 CASES INVOLVING REAL FIREARMS.
THESE FIGURES COMPARED WITH 148 SUCH CASES IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, IN 17 OF WHICH FIREARMS WERE USED.
+THE GOVERNMENT CAN NEVER BE COMPLACENT ABOUT A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
+HOWEVER, THE DETECTION RATE FOR THESE CRIMES IS RELATIVELY HIGH, HE SAID.
ELEVEN OF LAST YEAR'S 17 CASES WHICH INVOLVED REAL FIREARMS AND FIVE OF THIS YEAR'S HAD BEEN DETECTED SO FAR, HE ADDED.
+CONSULTATION ON INTEREST RATES ESSENTIAL+
*****
PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF BANKS SETS THE MAXIMUM INTEREST RATES FOR A RANGE OF HONG KONG DEPOSITS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SIR JOHN SAID THAT IN HIS OPINION, THIS PROCESS WAS
WORKING WELL.
+1 CONFIRM THAT THERE IS PRIOR DISCUSSION IN EVERY RELEVANT INSTANCE BETWEEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HKAB AND THE SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS (WHO IS PARTY TO MY VIEWS) AND THAT 1, AS FINANCIAL SECRETARY, TAKE DIRECT PART WHENEVER IT SEEMS NECESSARY.
+1 ALSO CONFIRM, THEREFORE, THAT THE COMMITTEE OF THE HKAB TAKES FULL ACCOUNT OF GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS, WHICH MAY BE HARD OR SOFT ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SIR JOHN STATED.
HE WAS REPLYING TO. A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO AS TO HOW THE GOVERNMENT ENSURED THAT DEPOSIT RATES SET BY THE ASSOCIATION WERE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY.
/+MR SO