XN000022-1978-04-26 — Page 36

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978

POLICY OF ADMITTING OVERSEAS WORKERS INTO HONG KONG ******

IT IS GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT IN DECIDING WHETHER TO ADMIT A NEW CLASS OF WORKERS, THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION CONSULTS THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF EXPERIENCED WORKERS WITH SUCH SKILLS AVAILABLE AND SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. FRANCIS TIEN

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. DAVIES ALSO SAID THAT EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC WORKERS FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND ELSEWHERE WHO ARE SPONSORED BY A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER IN HONG KONG ARE ALLOWED EY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO ENTER HONG KONG TO TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT WITH THE FAMILY IN QUESTION SUBJECT TO THEIR HOLDING A VALID TRAVEL DOCUMENT AND STRICT CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS.

HE SAID THAT THESE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROVISION OF PERSONAL SERVICE REQUIRE THAT THE EMPLOYER HOUSES THE EMPLOYEE TO ENSURE THAT SUCH DOMESTIC WOPKEPS DO NOT BECOME A BURDEN ON THE COMMUNITY.

POLICE ROAD BLOCKS DETER NIGHT RACERS

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE POLICE DO TRY TO STOP MOTOR- CYCLE AND CAR RACING AT NIGHT BY SETTING UP ROAD BLOCKS AND RADAR SPEED TRAPS.

+THIS ACTION HAS A STRONG DETERRENT EFFECT BUT IT USES A LOT OF MANPOWER AND ITS DEPLOYMENT MUST DEPEND ON OTHER POLICE COMMIT- MENTS AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME,+ MR. JONES SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ROGER LOBO.

MR. JONES ADDED ALTHOUGH RACING BY MOTORCYCLES AND CARS IN THE LATE NIGHT AND EARLY MORNING HOURS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WAS DANGEROUS AND A SOURCE OF MUCH PUBLIC COMPLAINT, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WAS QUITE SMALL.

BUT HE NOTED THAT THE RACERS ALSO SWITCH THEIR ACTIVITIES AT RANDOM FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION,

+FURTHERMORE, THEY USUALLY SEND OUT 'SCOUTS' TO MAKE SURE THAT POLICE VEHICLES OR ROAD BLOCKS ARE NOT PRESENT ALONG THE ROUTES CHOSEN, HE ADDED.

MR. JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE POLICE COUNTER SUCH TACTICS BY SETTING UP A NUMBER OF ROAD ELOCKS AND RADAR SPEED TRAPS SIMULTANEOUSLY, MOVING THEN FREQUENTLY THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

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