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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1986
THE MAJOR OIL SUPPLIERS IN HONG KONG, IN A COMPETITIVE MARKET, SET THE PRICES OF OIL PRODUCTS BASED ON COMMERCIAL CONSIDERATIONS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT SUCH FACTORS AS THE IMPORT PRICE, COST OF OPERATION AND, OF COURSE, PROFIT, HE SAID.
+IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO INTERVENE IN THE WORKINGS OF THE FREE MARKET ECONOMY, OR FORMALLY TO COMMENT ON THE REASONS FOR DIL PRICE FLUCTUATIONS.
+NATURALLY WE ENCOURAGE COMPETITION WHICH IS THE PROPER ENEMY OF MONOPOLIES, SIR JOHN SAID.
SEARCH AND RESCUE CENTRE PLAN NEARLY READY
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THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE CONSULTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ABOUT SETTING UP AN INDEPENDENT SEARCH AND RESCUE CENTRE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID TODAY.
STUDY OF THIS PROPOSAL BY THE MARINE COURT OF INQUIRY INTO THE LOSS OF THE OSPREY HAD BEEN PROTRACTED BECAUSE OF THE MANY ISSUES INVOLVED AND BECAUSE THE FINDINGS OF THE RECONVENED COURT OF INQUIRY, WHICH MIGHT TOUCH ON THE QUESTION, WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE, MR THOMAS SAID.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN, MR THOMAS SAID: IT IS TRUE THAT CONSIDERATION OF THIS IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATION HAS TAKEN LONGER THAN THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE LIKED, BUT WE ARE NEARLY THERE.+
HE EXPLAINED THAT FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF THE COURT'S REPORT IN JULY 1984, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY PROMPTLY ESTABLISHED A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT, ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH, THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE, THE ROYAL NAVY, THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND THE MARINE POLICE.
THE WORKING GROUP, HE SAID, HAD SINCE ENDORSED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COURT RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE.
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