WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DRAFT ORDER-IN-COUNCIL ANNEXED TO THE WHITE PAPER WOULD COME INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1, 1987 AFTER GOING THROUGH THE NECESSARY LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
+BY THEN, THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE ELIGIBLE HONG KONG RESIDENTS. THAT IS THOSE WHO ARE HOLDING EXISTING BUT EXPIRING BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN PASSPORTS OR THOSE WHO ARE ENTITLED TO APPLY FOR A BRITISH PASSPORT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
+TO THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEW BRITISH STATUS, THEY HAVE YET TO BE CONVINCED THAT THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT COULD AFFORD THE SAME DEGREE OF, IF NOT MORE, CONVENIENCE AND BENEFIT OF TRAVEL AS THE ALTERNATIVE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN PASSPORT WHICH THEY WOULD STILL BE ENTITLED TO BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE 30, 1997, + DR HO SAID.
HE SAID THAT FROM THE +USER+ POINT OF VIEW, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE ADVANTAGES TO HOLDERS OF THE NEW PASSPORT BE CLEARLY EXPLAINED.
+1 FULLY ENDORSE THE WISH OF THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT WELL TESTED IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, BUT I WOULD ALSO URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO PERFECT THE 'MARKETING OF THIS BRAND-NEW UNTESTED PRODUCT SO AS TO ENCOURAGE THOSE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE IT UP, HE SAID.
ON THE SUBJECT OF ORGANISED CRIME, DR HO NOTED THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF LEGISLATION ENACTED TO COUNTER ORGANISED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THESE LAWS WERE EITHER INADEQUATELY APPLIED OR NOT FULLY EXPLOITED.
HE SAID THE PUBLIC WIDELY HELD THE VIEW THAT THE PENALTY IMPOSED ON CONVICTED OFFENDERS WAS TOO LENIENT TO PRODUCE A DETERRENT EFFECT.
+MEN IN THE STREET WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE THAT THE COURT, IN APPROPRIATE CIRCUMSTANCES, MAKE MORE FREQUENT USE OF SECTION 21 OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE (CAP. 115) WHICH PROVIDES FOR A DEPORTATION ORDER FOR CERTAIN OFFENCES, HE SAID.
HE RECALLED THAT IN THE LATTER PART OF 1950'S, THE POLICE SUCCESSFULLY DISINTEGRATED TRIAD SOCIETIES BY RECOURSE TO THE SPECIAL LEGISLATION, THE EMERGENCY (DETENTION ORDERS) REGULATIONS 1956+.
+OVER 10 000 TRIAD OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS WERE ARRESTED AND OVER 400 OF THE TOP OFFICIALS WERE DEPORTED.
+MANY SURRENDERED THEMSELVES FOR BEING PLACED ON SUPERVISION ORDERS IN PREFERENCE TO DETENTION AND DEPORTATION, HE SAID.
/DR HO