XN000022-1977-08-18 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1977

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT REORGANISED

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THE REORGANISATION OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SOMETIME, HAS NOW BEEN APPROVED AND GOES INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT'S SPOKESMAN SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE REORGANISATION, THE FIRST IN MORE THAN TEN YEARS, WAS TO STRENGTHEN THE DEPARTMENT AND TO ENABLE IT TO STAY ON TOP OF THE WORKLOAD WHICH HAS INCREASED VERY SUBSTANTIALLY IN SCOPE AND VOLUME.

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THE CHANGE PROVIDES FOR THE SPLITTING UP OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT INTO TWO DEPARTMENTS A DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND A DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, EACH WITH ITS OWN HEAD, BUT UNDER THE OVERALL CONTROL OF A DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS.

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THE ACTING HOLDER OF THE FORMER POST OF DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR, BILL DORWARD, NOW BECOMES ACTING DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS. MR. ROY PORTER IS ACTING COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS. MR. PETER TSAO IS ACTING DIRECTOR OF TRADE UNTIL SEPTEMBER WHEN HE LEAVES FOR GENEVA TO TAKE UP HIS NEW POST AS COUNSELLOR FOR HONG KONG AFFAIRS. THIS POST IS HELD AT PRESENT BY MR. LAWRENCE MILLS, WHO WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG TO ACT AS DIRECTOR OF TRADE.

+AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF AUTHORITY WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED, THE NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS BEING GIVEN DEPUTIES WHO WILL PROVIDE CONTINUITY OF ADMINISTRATION AND SHARE THE BURDEN OF OVERSEAS TRAVEL IN CONNECTION WITH TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID,

AS PART OF A SEPARATE EXERCISE, THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE HAS BEEN RETITLED THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE IN ORDER TO ACCORD IT AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED TITLE AND TO MAKE ITS FUNCTIONS MORE READILY UNDERSTOOD OVERSEAS, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIELD OF ANTI-NARCOTICS OPERATIONS= THIS CHANGE IN TITLE HAS NO IMPLICATIONS IN REGARD TO THE CONTINUED FREE PORT STATUS OF HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.

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