XN000022-1982-01-09 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1982

MR JORDAN TOLD THE PASSING OUT OFFICERS THAT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THE SERVICE HAS GREATLY ENHANCED ITS POSITION AMONGST THE SOPHISTICATED CUSTOMS SERVICES OF THE WORLD.

+ HAVE DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH SERVICES IN SOME THIRTY COUNTRIES. I KNOW THEIR DIRECTORS, COMMISSIONERS AND SENIOR OFFICERS AS WELL AS THEIR ORGANISATIONS AND PROCEDURES. IN CONSEQUENCE I KNOW BY MY OWN OBSERVATION HOW HIGH OUR SERVICE STANDS IN ITS EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS COMPARED WITH MANY OF THOSE IN OTHER PLACES. I ALSO KNOW FROM MY CUSTOMS FRIENDS OF MANY NATIONALITIES OF THE HIGH OPINION IN WHICH WE ARE HELD OVERSEAS - SO MUCH SO THAT MANY OTHER SERVICES SEND THE IR OFFICERS HERE TO LEARN OUR TECHNIQUES AND STUDY OUR ORGANISATION.+

REFERRING TO THE SERVICE'S ROLE IN REVENUE PROTECTION, MR JORDAN SAID: IN THIS DAY AND AGE A SOPHISTICATED EFFICIENT CUSTOMS SERVICE HAS A MUCH WIDER ROLE THAN REVENUE COLLECTION, WHEREVER IT MAY OPERATE.

+IN FACT, DUTY COLLECTION APART, WE OPERATE IN RELATION TO NO LESS THAN TWENTY DIFFERENT ORDINANCES. MANY OF THESE CONCERN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE WELL-BEING OF OUR OWN PEOPLE IN HONG KONG OTHERS CONCERN OUR COMMITMENT TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. WE FULFIL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES CONSCIENTIOUSLY AND THOROUGHLY EFFECTIVELY.

+OUR REPUTATION INTERNATIONALLY IS OUTSTANDING IN ANTI-NARCOTICS WORK, OUR EFFORTS TO COUNTER COUNTERFEITING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND OTHER TRADE MALPRACTICES ARE HELD AS EXAMPLES TO OTHER SERVICES. OUR DAY-TO-DAY TECHNIQUES WHETHER APPLIED TO SHIPPING, AIR TRAFFIC, OR CONTROL OF THOSE TRADERS WHOSE GOODS ATTRACT THE FEW DUTIES LEVIED IN HONG KONG, ARE RECOGNISED AS BOTH EFFICIENT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT HINDERING THE TRADE OF OUR TERRITORY, MR JORDAN CONCLUDED.

TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF TUNG CHAU STREET

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A SECTION OF TUNG CHAU STREET NORTH OF KIU KIANG STREET IN SHAM SHUI PO WILL BE CLOSED TO TRAFFIC FROM MONDAY (JANUARY 11) TO FEBRUARY 8 TO FACILITATE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR.