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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1994
QUESTION: MRS CHAN, HOW CAN YOU ATTRACT THE VOTERS, ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO COME TO VOTE IN '95 BECAUSE THE LEGCO IS SHORT-LIVED?
MRS CHAN: WELL, Į THINK THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY WANT MORE SAY IN THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE GOVERNED. WE HAVE NOW GOT IN PLACE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH ARE FAIR AND OPEN. WE WILL NOW BE GETTING ON WITH THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS AND MAKING IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR POTENTIAL VOTERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS. AND I'M SURE ON THAT BASIS PEOPLE WILL BE WILLING TO COME FORWARD. AS REGARDS WHETHER THE THREE-TIER REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WILL BE DISMANTLED AFTER 1997, I THINK I WOULD REFFR YOU TO THE SPEECH THAT I MADE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY. SEE YOU LATER.
MORE SAFETY MEASURES IN THE PIPELINE
FOR GROWING MARINE TRAFFIC
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THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS INTRODUCING FURTHER SAFETY MEASURES TO BETTER MANAGE THE RAPIDLY GROWING MARINE TRAFFIC IN THE DIMINISHING HONG KONG WATERS, THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE, MR ALLAN PYRKE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
HE
AND
SAID THE TRAFFIC VOLUME WAS INCREASING MARKEDLY ESPECIALLY IN FAST PASSENGER FERRIES TO MEET THE NEED OF TRAVELLERS TO CHINA COMMUTERS TO CENTRAL.
SPEAKING AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THREE NEW MARINE DEPARTMENT PATROL CRAFT AT JOSS HOUSE BAY, MR PYRKE SAID THE NEW SAFETY MEASURES WERE AIMED AT GETTING ALL VESSELS PROCEEDING THROUGH THE CENTRAL HARBOUR AREA TO FOLLOW THE FAIRWAYS, THAT WAS TO DRIVE ON THE RIGHT, AND FOLLOW OTHER RULES TO ENHANCE SAFE MOVEMENT.
"THIS BASIC AIM WILL BE REINFORCED IN AUGUST WHEN THE FIRST MID-CHANNEL MARKER BUOY IS LAID IN THE FAIRWAY OFF NEW WORLD CENTRE," HE SAID.
HE REVEALED THAT ACTION WOULD ALSO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT CERTAIN VESSELS WERE KEPT OUT OF WORKS AND OTHER AREAS AS THEIR SHORTCUTS WERE UNNECESSARILY HAZARDING FERRIES.
MR PYRKE POINTED OUT THAT THE MARINE DEPARTMENT NEEDED MORE PATROL CRAFT IN HONG KONG WATERS TO EDUCATE ALL MASTERS OF VESSELS ABOUT THE MARINE TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS AND TO TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST SLOW LEARNERS.
HE SAID THE COMMISSIONING OF THE THREE NEW PATROL CRAFT, THE BOSTON WHALERS, WAS PART OF THIS ON-GOING PROCESS, ADDING THAT THESE CRAFT AND THEIR CREWS WOULD USHER IN A MORE ACTIVE REGIME OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT.
THE THREE BOSTON WHALERS, CAPABLE OF TRAVELLING AT A MAXIMUM SPEED OF 35 KNOTS, WILL PROVIDE THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WITH A REQUISITE CAPACITY TO RESPOND ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY TO ANOMALIES IN HARBOUR.
THE
/THEY WILL