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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1988
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UNHAPPY THAT INDUSTRIALISTS WERE OFTEN PORTRAYED AS BEING UNCONCERNED ABOUT POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT, MR TIEN SAID POLLUTION WAS A BY-PRODUCT RATHER THAN THE OBJECT OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
"ENTREPRENEURS ARE NOT SPECIALISTS IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF POLLUTION CONTROL. THAT FIELD IS HIGHLY SPECIALISED AND HIGHLY EXPENSIVE FOR THE AVERAGE SMALL INDUSTRIALIST, HE SAID.
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SMALL BUSINESSES, NOW PLAGUED BY THE LABOUR SHORTAGE, COULD EASILY LOSE HEART IN THE STRUGGLE AGAINST POLLUTION.
PUNISHING ENTREPRENEURS BY IMPOSING HEAVY FINES WAS NO SENSIBLE WAY TO ELIMINATE POLLUTION AS THE COST WOULD MERELY BE PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER. AN APPROACH BASED ON EDUCATION WAS MORE APPROPRIATE.
"LET US HELP, NOT PENALISE, INDUSTRY, IN TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID.
MR TIEN SUGGESTED THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) SHOULD, THROUGH ITS INSPECTORATE, IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM AND THE PRODUCTIVITY COUNCIL (PC) SHOULD ADVISE ON THE APPROPRIATE METHODS AND LATEST TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE POLLUTION.
RATHER THAN PAY FINES, INDUSTRIALISTS SHOULD THEN BE ASKED ΤΟ COVER THE COSTS OF SUCH INSTALLATIONS DEEMED NECESSARY.
"WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A GOOD WORKING
EPD, PC AND INDUSTRIALISTS.
"WE DON'T WANT A WAR, WE WANT
It
ERADICATION OF POLLUTION, HE SAID.
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN THE
CO-OPERATION OVER THE
REFERRING TO ARGUMENTS THAT HONG KONG'S BEST BRAINS WERE LEAVING BECAUSE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO HAD NOT YET BEEN INTRODUCED, MR TIEN SAID THE LOGIC OF THIS "BORDERS ON THE RIDICULOUS".
HE BELIEVED PEOPLE WOULD CONTINUE TO LEAVE AS LONG AS IMMIGRATION QUOTAS WERE AVAILABLE AND CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG WAS NOT A FUNCTION OF THE WAY IN WHICH LEGCO WAS ELECTED. RATHER, CONFIDENCE WAS A PRODUCT OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AS WELL AS POLITICAL FACTORS.
MR TIEN WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED THAT SOME RECEIVING COUNTRIES HAD DERIVED MUCH FINANCIAL BENEFIT FROM HONG KONG IMMIGRANTS, AND LIKENED THEIR TACTICS, SUCH AS ALLOWING IMMIGRATION ON THE BASIS OF INVESTMENT, TO "HIGHWAY ROBBERY"
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WHILE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS CLEAR ON THE POINT OF FREE ENTRY AND EXIT INTO HONG KONG FOR THOSE QUALIFIED, MR TIEN HOPED SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO ASK THE RECEIVING COUNTRIES TO PLAY FAIR, EVEN THOUGH WE COULD NOT ASK THEM TO REDUCE THE QUOTAS.
"IF THEY WANT MORE PEOPLE AS PEOPLE, THEY ARE VERY TAKE THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM US. I DOUBT HAVE MANY TAKERS," HE CONCLUDED.
WELCOME TO IF WE WILL
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