THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1984
+
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HE WILL THEN FLY TO LONDON FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
AT THE END OF MAY, MR HO WILL MAKE A TWO-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO VIENNA, AT THE INVITATION OF AUSTRIAN VICE-CHANCELLOR AND FEDERAL MINISTER OF TRADE, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, DR NORBERT STEGER, WHO VISITED HONG KONG IN 1983.
DURING MR HO'S ABSENCE, MR JOHN YAXLEY, DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, WILL BE ACTING AS THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
WARNING ABOUT ENDANGERED SPECIES
****
RESIDENTS VISITING NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES DURING THE EASTER HOLIDAYS ARE REMINDED NOT TO BRING BACK ENDANGERED SPECIES OF ANIMALS OR PLANTS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID STUFFED SEA TURTLES AND CROCODILES AS WELL AS OWLS AND PANGOLINS ARE STILL BEING IMPORTED ILLEGALLY BY SOME RESIDENTS.
LAST YEAR MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE WERE PROSECUTED FOR ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF SPECIES OF ANIMALS OR PLANTS UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE GIVES EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES).
THE LAW PROVIDES FOR A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 ON CONVICTION FOR FIRST OFFENCES, AND $10 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENCES. THE ILLEGAL IMPORTS ARE GENERALLY CONFISCATED.
SUCH GOODS SEIZED LAST YEAR WERE VALUED AT $1.5 MILLION. AMONG THEM WERE 5 977 PIECES OF PYTHON SKINS, 25 STUFFED SEA TURTLES, FIVE LIVE OWLS, ONE LIVE SEA TURTLE AND 71 OUNCES OF AMERICAN GINSENG.
+THERE HAS BEEN GROWING CONCERN WORLDWIDE OVER SOME SPECIES OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS FACING THE DANGER OF EXTINCTION DUE TO POACHING AND LOSS OF HABITAT.
+CONSERVATION THUS IS AN INTERNATIONALLY CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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