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Experts talks on new mobile communications services
The Sino-British Joint Liaison Group will hold Expert Talks in Hong Kong tomorrow (Saturday) to discuss new mobile communications services.
The British team will be led by British Representative Mr Alan Paul. The Chinese team will be led by Chinese Representative Mr Chen Zuo'er. They will be assisted by experts from the two sides.
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Town Planning White Bill published
The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, Mr Bowen Leung, today (Friday) released for public consultation until the end of this year the Town Planning White Bill which seeks to make the statutory planning process more accountable to the public and more effective in guiding developments towards a more desirable and efficient land use pattern.
One of the new features in the White Bill is that planning study will be published for public inspection and comment for three months before a new outline zoning plan is prepared or major amendment is made to an existing plan.
The White Bill will also ensure that there will be adequate time for public to comment on draft plans. New draft plans will be available for public inspection for two months and amendment plans for six weeks.
Members of the public can make representations to the Town Planning Board (TPB) either in support of or in opposition to particular provisions in a draft plan. The representations will be published for one month during which the public could send views on the representations to TPB.
Mr Leung said: "This revised consultation process is a big improvement over the present system where public could only comment on a draft plan after publication.
"By allowing the public to have an early input into the planning process, it will enable TPB to take account of public views before making a decision on the necessary adjustments to a draft plan," Mr Leung added.