10
The four monitors were two Justices of the Peace, Mr Chow Chun-fai and Mr Hui Chun-fui, Mr Edward Chan Chai-shi from Oxfam and Mr Surya Rao from Christian Action.
They observed the transfer of 38 Vietnamese migrants (VMs) from High Island Detention Centre to Victoria Prison yesterday.
The monitors described the operation as having been carried out "without any major incidents". They observed that throughout the operation, the disciplined forces acted with restraint and patience and adopted a passive and self-protective approach towards the VMs.
End/Friday, May 12, 1995
US bank granted licence to conduct business in HK
A Government spokesman said today (Friday) that NBD Bank (NBDB) had been granted a banking licence to conduct business in Hong Kong.
NBDB is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NBD Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company. NBD Bancorp, Inc. is the 18th largest banking group in the USA and ranks 95th in the world in terms of capital. NBDB operates 328 domestic branches and has overseas branches in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Australia.
In Hong Kong, NBDB opened a representative office in 1976. The office was upgraded to a restricted licence bank in 1991 to take over the deposit-taking business of its wholly-owned subsidiary, NBD Asia Ltd.
The bank believes that by further upgrading its operations to a licensed bank, it would be able to provide a fuller range of commercial banking services to its
customers.
The principal business of the proposed branch will include trade financing, commercial lending and deposit services.
The spokesman said the continuing interest of foreign banks in entering the local market reflected Hong Kong's continued importance and attractiveness as a major international financial centre. The licence for NBDB is the third banking licence granted in 1995.
There are now 182 licensed banks in Hong Kong, of which 151 are incorporated outside the territory.
End/Friday, May 12, 1995