SDAY, MARCH 28, 1385
RELIEF URGED FOR IMMIGRATION WORK
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IMMIGRATION FACILITIES AND PRIVATISATION OF CERTAIN GOVERNMENT SERVICES WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE HON SELINA CHOW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY AS TWO SUBJECTS THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
MRS CHOW SAID THAT THE SERVICES BEING PROVIDED BY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AT THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF ENTRY REQUIRED NOT ONLY LONG TERM PLANNING, WHICH HAD BEEN PROMISED, BUT ALSO SOME IMMEDIATE TEMPORARY RELIEF.
+LINES AT KAI TAK COUNTERS ARE CONSIDERED LONG IF THEY ARE MORE THAN SIX OR SEVEN DEEP, WHILE TRAVELLERS ARE OFTEN REQUIRED TO WAIT FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR BEFORE THEY ARE PROCESSED AT TAI KOK TSU AND MAN KAM TO,+ SHE SAID.
WITH LIKELIHOOD OF PRESSURE BUILDING UP AT THESE POINTS AS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TIES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA MULTIPLIED, SPECIAL ALLOWANCES MUST BE GIVEN TO THIS AREA OF ACTIVITY, SHE SATE.
TURNING TO PRIVATISATION, MRS CHOW SAID IN VIEW OF THE TREMENDOUS SUCCESS OF THE HIVING OFF OF THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY AND THE LEASING OUT OF GOVERNMENT CAR-PARKS, OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICES SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED FOR SIMILAR TREATMENT WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
PRIVATISATION OF OTHER NON-REVENUE-PRODUCING GOVERNMENT SERVICES SHOULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED AS FAR AND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SHE SAID.
+ I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS OVERALL POLICY OF DEGOVERNMENTISATION IS THE RIGHT PATH TO LESS BUREAUCRACY AND MORE FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY, IF NOT PROFITABILITY, + SHE SAID.
AS FOR THE REVENUE-RAISING PROPOSALS IN THE BUDGET, MRS CHOW REITERATED HER FIRM BELIEF THAT IT WAS ROAD USAGE BY MOTOR VEHICLES THAT NEEDED TO BE CONTROLLED, BY FISCAL MEASURES IF NECESSARY, AND NOT THE OWNERSHIP OF PRIVATE CARS.
+ IT IS UNFAIR THAT THE PRIVATE MOTORIST SHOULD BE SINGLED OUT TIME AND AGAIN.
+ I THEREFORE SUPPORT THE INCREASE ON TUNNEL TOLLS WHILE DEPLORING THE RISE IN FEES FOR VEHICLES AND LICENCES, SHE SAID.
MRS CHOW ALSO SAID SHE COULD NOT SUPPORT THE PROPOSED WITHDRAWAL OF THE AVERAGE DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCE AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF ALMOST ALL OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE EXISTING ALLOWANCE SHOULD REMAIN FOR ALL THOSE WHO ENTER HONG KONG BY AIR, WHILE THE NEW RESTRICTION SHOULD APPLY TO ALL OTHER POINTS OF ENTRY.
/+THOSE RESIDENTS