XN000022-1983-11-04 — Page 11

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1983

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FEES FOR HONG KONG-REGISTERED VESSELS REVISED

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THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED NEW REGULATIONS TO REVISE FEES FOR HONG KONG-REGISTERED VESSELS TO KEEP UP WITH INCREASED EXPENSES AND TO FOLLOW THE CURRENT UK PRACTICE OF RECOVERING FULL COSTS FOR SERVICES RENDERED.

+THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF NOT SUBSIDISING COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN GENERAL, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE MERCHANT SHIPPING (FEES) (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) REGULATIONS 1983, APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL, ARE PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.

THE FEES COVER A BROAD RANGE OF SURVEYING SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT FOR VESSELS REGISTERED IN HONG KONG,

MOST OF THE FEES WERE LAST REVISED IN 1970 WHILE SOME HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1965, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE NEW REGULATIONS ALSO INCORPORATE PROVISIONS TO ENABLE THE DIRECTOR OF MARINE TO RECOVER THE COSTS OF SERVICES NOT COVERED BY EXISTING LEGISLATION.

+ IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE REVISED FEES WILL GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OF SOME $13 MILLION A YEAR, WITH NO ADDITIONAL STAFF REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE AMENDMENTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THE FEE INCREASES, ALTHOUGH LARGE IN PERCENTAGE TERMS IN SOME CASES, ARE INSIGNIFICANT IN ABSOLUTE TERMS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE VALUE OF THE AVERAGE VESSEL AND ITS VOLUME OF BUSINESS INVOLVED, HE ADDED.

SPORTS FINALS SET FOR TOMORROW

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THE FINALS OF THE TERRITORY-WIDE INTER-SCHOOL OLYMPIAD WILL BE HELD TOMORROW (SATURDAY) AT THE WAN CHAI SPORTS GROUND, MARKING THE CLOSE OF THE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETICS MEET IN WHICH MORE THAN 160 TEAMS FROM SECONDARY SCHOOLS ORIGINALLY TOOK PART.

THE ATHLETIC MEET IS ORGANISED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI- SMOKING PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CURRENT PUBLICITY PHASE AIMED AT DISSUADING YOUNG PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS, FROM SMOKING.

CO-ORGANISERS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES. THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION, THE NEW TERRITORIES SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS SPORTS COUNCIL.

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