XN000022-1983-01-28 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1983

NEW ID CARD BILL PUBLISHED

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PROPOSED LEGISLATION EMPOWERING THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE A NEW, MORE SECURE IDENTITY CARD WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY (FEBRUARY 2).

AS STATED BY THE GOVERNOR IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 6, THE REPLACEMENT IDENTITY CARD WILL BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DETERRING AND DETECTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN STRESSED TODAY THAT THIS EVENT WOULD NOT BE THE OCCASION FOR AN AMNESTY.

HE SAID THE INTENTION WAS TO START ISSUING THE NEW CARDS IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR. EXACT DETAILS OF THE REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME, WHICH WILL BE PHASED OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD, WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.

THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY, ENABLES THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL TO MAKE REGULATIONS PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUE AND PERIODIC FRESH ISSUE OF THE NEW CARDS AND THE PHASING OUT OF THE OLD TYPES.

THE BILL ALSO ENABLES REGULATIONS TO BE MADE TO PROVIDE FOR FINES OF UP TO $20 000 INSTEAD OF THE PRESENT MAXIMUM OF $5 000 AND FOR CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS TO BE INSTITUTED UP TO FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF THE PRESENT THREE YEARS FROM THE TIME OF THE COMMISSION OF AN OFFENCE.

ANYONE WHO FAILS TO APPLY FOR A NEW CARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH A SPECIFIED PROGRAMME OR IS IN POSSESSION OF A CARD DECLARED INVALID WOULD BE LIABLE TO A FINE OF $3 000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR.

COMMENTING ON THE NEED FOR NEW IDENTITY CARDS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID ALTHOUGH THE RATE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION HAD FALLEN SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE ENDING OF THE 'REACHED BASE' POLICY IN 1980 HONG KONG COULD NOT DROP ITS GUARD AS THE URGE TO ENTER THE TERRITORY ILLEGALLY APPEARED TO BE AS STRONG AS EVER. THE COVERNMENT HAD EVERY INTENTION, THEREFORE, OF MAINTAINING ITS COUNTER MEASURES AND ADDING TO THEM AS NECESSARY.

EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT MOST ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE MALES AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 35. CONSEQUENTLY IT IS PLANNED TO ISSUE THE NEW CARD FIRST TO THIS AGE GROUP.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO REDUCE ANY INCONVENIENCE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE REPLACEMENT EXERCISE.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE EXERCISE WILL COST $76 MILLION IN NON-RECURRENT EXPENDITURE AND $318 MILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE SPREAD OVER A SIX-YEAR PERIOD FROM 1981-82 TO 1986-87. AND ABOUT 900 ADDITIONAL STAFF WILL BE REQUIRED.

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