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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985
MR HO SAID ANOTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN 1986 ON THE TRADE SCENE WAS THE IMMINENT LAUNCHING OF A NEW ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE GATT.
+HONG KONG HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE PREPARATORY PROCESS FOR THE NEW ROUND ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROPOSED NEGOTIATIONS WOULD INCLUDE THE PROMOTION OF THE LIBERALISATION OF TRADE AND THE RE-VITALISATION OF THE MULTILATERAL TRADING SYSTEM.
+AT A RECENT MEETING BETWEEN THE CONTRACTING PARTIES OF THE GATT. IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT A PREPARATORY COMMITTEE SHOULD
.
BE SET UP TO PREPARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROGRAMME OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE PROPOSED NEW ROUND FOR ADOPTION AT A GATT MINISTERIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER 1986.
+HONG KONG WILL FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AND THE ULTIMATE NEW ROUND WHICH CAN ONLY ASSIST IN THE EFFORTS OF ALL TOWARDS MAINTAINING AND PROMOTING AN OPEN MULTILATERAL TRADING ENVIRONMENT, MR HO SAID.
HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE TASKS WE ALL FACED IN 1986 WERE BOUND TO BE FORMIDABLE, HE HA EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT HONG KONG WAS WELL PREPARED TO GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF ITSELF.
TENANCY ORDINANCE CHANGES COME INTO EFFECT
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AS FROM TOMORROW (THURSDAY), DOMESTIC TENANCIES OF PREMISES WITH A RATEABLE VALUE OF $30 000 OR ABOVE (PREVIOUSLY $35 000) AS AT JUNE 10, 1983 ARE EXCLUDED FROM PART 1 OF THE LANDLORD AND TENANT (CONSOLIDATION) ORDINANCE.
THE EXCLUDED TENANCIES HOWEVER, BECOME PROTECTED UNDER PART IV WHICH AFFORDS SECURITY OF TENURE AT THE PREVAILING MARKET RENT.
ALSO EFFECTIVE FROM TOMORROW IS THE CHANGE OF THE MINIMUM RENT FROM 45 PER CENT TO 55 PER CENT OF THE PREVAILING MARKET RENT IN THE FORMULA REGULATING RENT INCREASES UNDER PART II OF THE ORDINANCE.
THIS ENABLES CONTROLLED RENTS TO REACH AT LEAST 55 PER CENT
OF THE PREVAILING MARKET RENT.
A SPOKESMAN OF THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE AMENDMENTS WHICH BECOME OPERATIVE TOMORROW WERE ENACTED IN JUNE THIS YEAR.
ANYONE WITH ENQUIRIES ON THESE AMENDMENTS SHOULD TELEPHONE RENT OFFICERS OF THE RATING AND VALUATION DEPARTMENT (TEL. 5-7957833) OR STAFF OF DISTRICT OFFICES.
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