TUESDAY, JULY 20, 1993
GOVERNOR TO VISIT LONDON
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, WILL TRAVEL ΤΟ LONDON ON JULY 27.
MR PATTEN WILL HAVE MEETINGS WITH MINISTERS AND WITH FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS.
ON JULY 29 HE WILL MEET THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, MR DOUGLAS HURD).
HE WILL AFTERWARDS START HIS ANNUAL LEAVE AND WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON AUGUST 31.
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GOVT IS FIRM ON GUESTHOUSE CONTROL
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THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO HAVE THE LICENSING CONTROL OF TOURIST GUESTHOUSES IN PLACE BY SEPTEMBER 1 THIS YEAR AS SAFETY OF LODGERS CANNOT BE COMPROMISED, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR FRANCIS LO, SAID THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING.
AT A MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS, MR LO SAID OPERATORS HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN A TWO-YEAR EXEMPTION AND 12 MONTHS' NOTIFICATION OF THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT WORKS FOR THEIR PREMISES.
"AS THE REQUIRED WORKS USUALLY TAKE NO MORE THAN A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO COMPLETE, WE CANNOT AGREE WITH SOME OPERATORS THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THEM TO CARRY OUT THE IMPROVEMENT
WORKS, HE
SAID.
"I
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION OF THE LICENSING AUTHORITY (LA) OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION ISSUING DIFFERENT GUIDELINES AT DIFFERENT TIMES, HE STRESSED.
THE ONE AND ONLY ONE SET OF SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, WHICH DETAILED THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS FOR A PARTICULAR GUESTHOUSE, WAS CONTAINED IN THE LA'S LETTERS TO INDIVIDUAL OPERATORS IN AUGUST LAST YEAR.
AS TO THE BRIEF NOTES ON LICENSING REQUIREMENTS ISSUED IN JUNE 1991, WHICH SOME OPERATORS CITED AS "ANOTHER SET OF LICENSING STANDARDS", MR LO SAID THIS SERVED TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION
ONLY.
THE
OPENING PARAGRAPH OF THE BRIEF NOTES, HE POINTED OUT, EXPLICITLY STATED THAT SUCH NOTES "SHOULD NOT FORM THE BASIS FOR ANY ALTERATION WORKS; PROPOSED WORK TO REFURBISH OR UPGRADE AN EXISTING HOTEL/GUESTHOUSE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH THE LICENSING AUTHORITY PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION."
/ON THE