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WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1988
STEPS BEING TAKEN TO IMPROVE AIRPORT PROCESSING
* * * * *
AT
MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE PROCESSING OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS. IMMIGRATION CONTROL COUNTERS AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL BE INTRODUCED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON GEOFFREY BARNES, SAID
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
(WEDNESDAY).
IN
THE
THE IMPROVEMENTS TO ВЕ INTRODUCED INCLUDED ADDITIONAL IMMIGRATION COUNTERS AND MORE IMMIGRATION WITH THE INCREASED WORKLOAD.
TODAY
COMPUTERISATION,
STAFF ΤΟ COPE
"IT IS EXPECTED THAT THESE MEASURES WILL GO SOME WAY TO REDUCING THE OVERALL WAITING TIME, AND WILL ALLOW MORE SCOPE FOR THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ΤΟ ENSURE THAT COUNTERS DESIGNATED FOR RESIDENTS ARE MORE EXCLUSIVELY USED BY RESIDENTS, MR BARNES SAID IN A REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN.
T1
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE THAT SOME HONG KONG RESIDENTS HAD EXPERIENCED INCONVENIENCE IN GETTING THROUGH IMMIGRATION CONTROL AT THE AIRPORT DURING PEAK HOURS BECAUSE THE LINES DESIGNATED FOR THEM WERE SOMETIMES ALSO USED BY OVERSEAS VISITORS.
"A SEGREGATED SYSTEM ACHIEVES ITS BEST RESULTS IF RESIDENT'S AND NON-RESIDENTS ARE PROCESSED IN SEPARATE HALLS, WITH SEPARATE
RESOURCES.
WERE, HOWEVER,
"THE IMMIGRATION FACILITIES AT KAI TAK AIRPORT ONLY DESIGNED FOR OPEN FRONT CLEARANCE, MR BARNES SAID.
"THE GOVERNMENT NEVERTHELESS RECOGNISES THAT HONG KONG RESIDENTS SHOULD BE CLEARED THROUGH IMMIGRATION CONTROL AS SPEEDILY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE AND HAS DESIGNATED CERTAIN COUNTERS FOR THEM."
HE ADDED THAT THE
IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WOULD DEPLOY REGULATORS IN THE HALLS TO HELP PASSENGERS QUEUE IN THE RIGHT LINES, WHENEVER RESOURCES PERMITTED.
"ALTHOUGH THESE FACILITIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR HONG RÉSIDENTS, IT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT VISITORS ARE ALSO COURTEOUS AND EXPEDITIOUS SERVICE, HE SAID.
"
KONG
GIVEN
"THIS WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE ACHIEVED IF VISITORS WERE REQUIRED TO QUEUE IN LONG LINES WHILE THEY COULD SEE RESIDENT COUNTERS BEING RELATIVELY UNDER-USED.
"A PARTIAL
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