THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1988
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"ALTHOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THEN AND IT IS WIDELY RECOGNISED THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE BOAT PEOPLE ARE BCONOMIC MIGRANTS, TO TURN THEM AWAY FROM HONG KONG IN THEIR LEAKY BOATS WOULD SIMPLY BE UNACCEPTABLE, HE SAID.
MR BARNES INFORMED THE AD HOC GROUP THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CRITICALLY EXAMINING ITS POSITION AND HAD INITIATED DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION WITH A VIEW TO SEEKING A COMMON REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE SITUATION.
REPORTS ON THE CONTACTS WITH OFFICIALS IN THAILAND, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE AND INDONESIA WERE PRESENTED TO THE AD HOC GROUP.
THERE WAS A GENERAL FEELING IN THE COUNTRIES TOUGHER MEASURES WERE CALLED FOR, BUT NOT WHAT THESE BE.
CONTACTED THAT MEASURES SHOULD
WITH COUNTRIES MAY," HE
"WE HOPE TO PARTICIPATE IN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS IN THE REGION AT A SEMINAR TO BE HELD IN THAILAND IN LATE SAID.
NEW PARTNERS FOR TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL PROJECT
THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE GAMMON NISHIMATSU CONSORTIUM FOR ITS PROPOSED RESTRUCTURING.
UNDER THE PROPOSAL, CHINA RESOURCES (HOLDINGS) CO. AND NEW WORLD DEVELOPMENT CO, WILL JOIN THE CONSORTIUM, REPLACING STANDARD CHARTERED ASIA LIMITED.
THE GAMMON NISHIMATSU CONSORTIUM HAS BEEN GIVEN THE FRANCHISE TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE THE TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THESE CHANGES HAD BEEN PROPOSED BY THE CONSORTIUM.
THE CONDITIONS OF THE FRANCHISE WHICH HAD BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH THE CONSORTIUM TO ENSURE A LOW AND STABLE TOLL REGIME HAD NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE.
IN GIVING THE APPROVAL, THE GOVERNMENT HAD SATISFIED ITSELF THAT THE FINANCIAL STRENGTH OF THE CONSORTIUM AND ITS ABILITY ΤΟ PERFORM THE OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE FRANCHISE REMAINED UNCHANGED.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE PROJECT WOULD BE 37-MONTH CONSTRUCTION PERIOD WITH THE OPENING OF THE
IN MID-1991.
KEEPING TO ITS TUNNEL EXPECTED
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