XN000022-1980-12-17 — Page 17

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WEDENSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1980

ID CARDS OF HK EMIGRANTS

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LEGAL PROVISION ALREADY EXISTS WHEREBY HONG KONG RESIDENTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO SURRENDER THEIR IDENTITY CARDS UPON LEAVING FOR SETTLEMENT ABROAD, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR DAVIES SAID OVER 7 000 IDENTITY CARDS HAD BEEN SURRENDERED TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT SO FAR THIS YEAR.

+THROUGH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CONSULAR REPRESENTATIVES

OF SOME FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, THE DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION WRITES TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH IMMIGRANT VISAS FOR THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED AND REQUESTS THE RETURN OF THE CARD, HE EXPLAINED.

HOWEVER THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES IN ENFORCING THE PROVISION ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE SOME EMIGRATION TAKES PLACE WITHOUT THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THERE ARE ALSO CASES WHERE PERSONS WHO HAVE SETTLED ABROAD MAINTAIN CLOSE LINKS WITH HONG KONG AND RETURN HERE REGULARLY, MR DAVIES SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THERE WOULD ALWAYS BE SOME HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS LEFT IN THE HANDS OF PERSONS SETTLED ABROAD.

+THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO PREVENT THESE FROM BEING MISUSED BY OTHERS AND STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN IN THIS DIRECTION,+ HE SAID.

COOKED FOOD STALLS INCLUDED IN NEW TOWN PROGRAMME

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COOKED FOOD STALLS ARE BEING BUILT IN FACTORY AREAS AS PART OF THE OVERALL PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS, SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM MR ALEX WU WHO ASKED WOULD GOVERNMENT STATE WHETHER SUFFICIENT SPACE HAD BEEN PROVIDED FOR COOKED FOOD STALLS AS MORE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS WERE MOVING TO THE NEW TOWNS.

+THE SCALE OF PRESENT PROVISION IS GOVERNED BY STANDARDS WHICH HAVE BEEN CAREFULLY WORKED OUT BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

SO FAR 220 COOKED FOOD STALLS HAD BEEN PROVIDED IN 10 COOKED FOOD CENTRES IN INDUSTRIAL PARTS OF THE NEW TOWNS, AND THERE WERE CURRENTLY 18 ITEMS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MORE COOKED FOOD CENTRES, IN KEEPING WITH THE PACE OF NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT.

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