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TUESD, APRIL 16, 1985
ALTERNATIVE OATH PROPOSED ****
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE INTRODUCTION INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF A BILL TO AMEND THE OATHS AND DECLARATIONS ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 11) IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE OATH FOR NEW MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON TAKING UP THEIR SEATS.
UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSTITUTING THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN HONG KONG FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS CAN BE A CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO THE COUNCIL WHETHER HE OR SHE IS A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN (BDTC) OR NOT. NEARLY HALF THE POPULATION DOES NOT HAVE THAT STATUS.
IN ORDER TO ENSURE AS WIDE A FIELD OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION AS POSSIBLE, TWO OATHS WILL IN FUTURE BE AVAILABLE FOR USE, THE PRESENT ONE AND THE ALTERNATIVE, WHICH MAY BE PREFERRED BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT BDTC'S AND WHICH DOES NOT CONTAIN AN OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE QUEEN.
FURTHER EASING OF RENT CONTROL PROPOSED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO FURTHER RELAX RENT CONTROL - BUT THE MAJORITY OF DOMESTIC TENANTS WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY SECURITY OF TENURE AND CONTROL AGAINST LARGE RENT INCREASES.
THESE MEASURES INCLUDE:
* THE EXTENSION BY TWO YEARS OF THE LIFE OF PART II OF THE
LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE FROM DECEMBER 19, 1985 TO DECEMBER 18, 1987;
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THE EXCLUSION, WITH EFFECT FROM DECEMBER 19, 1985, FROM PART | CONTROLS OF +LUXURY+ PREMISES WITH A RATEABLE VALUE OF OR ABOVE $30 000 (AS AT JUNE 10, 1983);
* THE RAISING, WITH EFFECT FROM DECEMBER 19, 1985, OF THE
MINIMUM PERCENTAGE COMPONENT IN THE RENT INCREASE MECHANISM IN PART 11 FROM 45 PER CENT TO 55 PER CENT OF PREVAILING MARKET RENT, TO BE REACHED BY ALL CONTROLLED RENTS, AND
* THE RAISING FROM 21 TO 27 TIMES THE STANDARD RENT FOR THE
PERMITTED RENT OF PRE-WAR DOMESTIC PREMISES.
IN ANNOUNCING THE MEASURES TODAY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THEY WERE DRAWN UP FOLLOWING ANOTHER REVIEW OF THE WORKING OF THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE, AN ASSESSMENT OF MARKET CONDITIONS IN 1984 AND HAVING REGARD TO THE INTERESTS OF BOTH LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.
THEY WERE