XN000022-1982-01-21 — Page 12

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1982

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+ IT IS HOPED THAT THE INCREASE IN ALLOWANCES TO FOSTER PARENTS WILL GIVE A BOOST TO EFFORTS TO EXPAND THIS SERVICE BOTH BY ASSISTING IN THE RECRUITMENT OF FOSTER PARENTS AND BY ENCOURAGING MORE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO ENTER THIS FIELD, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO REVEALED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO PROVIDE FOSTER PLACEMENT SERVICES DIRECTLY, THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES,

+THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THE STAFF RESOURCES REQUIRED AND IT IS HOPED TO INTRODUCE THE SERVICE SOON, + HE SAID.

DIRECT ISSUE OF DRIVING LICENCES TIGHTENED UP

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REGULATIONS TO TIGHTEN UP THE DIRECT ISSUE OF HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCES TO DRIVERS WHO PASSED THE IR TESTS OVERSEAS WILL BE GAZETTED TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ON AND FROM TOMORROW, HONG KONG DRIVING LICENCES WOULD ONLY BE ISSUED WITHOUT A TEST, IN RESPECT OF OVERSEAS LICENCES, IF IN ADDITION TO HAVING PASSED A TEST OF COMPETENCE OVERSEAS, THE APPLICANT HAD EITHER:

* BEEN RESIDENT IN THE OVERSEAS COUNTRY FOR NOT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ISSUE OF THE LICENCE, OR

* HELD THE LICENCE FOR NOT LESS THAN FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE

APPLICATION, OR

* HELD A PASSPORT OR EQUIVALENT DOCUMENT OF THE COUNTRY IN

WHICH THE LICENCE WAS ISSUED.

THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE LIST OF COUNTRIES TO WHICH THIS REGULATION REFERS.

THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT ALTHOUGH THE REQUIREMENTS WERE NOW MORE STRINGENT BY IMPOSING A RESIDENTIAL QUALIFICATION, THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATION HAS BEEN PRESERVED TO ALLOW RESIDENTS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY WHO HAVE PASSED A TEST OF ACCEPTABLE STANDARD TO DRIVE IN HONG KONG WITHOUT FURTHER TESTING.

THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT WILL CLOSE THE LOOP-HOLE WHEREBY CERTAIN PERSONS HAD OBTAINED DRIVING LICENCES ABROAD DURING A BRIEF STAY WITHOUT THE REQUISITE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO DRIVE SAFELY IN HONG KONG.

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