XN000022-1985-03-28 — Page 18

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1985

+ IF EFFECTIVE ANTI-AVOIDANCE MEASURES CAN BE ARRIVED AT WHILE MAINTAINING A SIMPLE TAX STRUCTURE, IT SHALL HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.

+OTHERWISE, THE REVENUE GAINED THROUGH SUCH MEASURE IS NOT

WORTH THE SACRIFICE, SHE STRESSED.

COMMENTING ON THE TRAINING OF CIVIL SERVANTS, MRS FAN SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONDUCT AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW ON THE NEED AND VALUE OBTAINED ON ALL THE OVERSEAS TRAINING PROVIDED FOR MEMBERS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

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SHE WONDERED IF TRAINING COULD NOT BE DONE LOCALLY, ADDING THAT SHE WAS MOST IMPRESSED BY THE PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY THE SENIOR STAFF COURSE CENTRE.

TURNING TO ANOTHER ISSUE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, MRS FAN DESCRIBE) AS +A SENSIBLE MANAGEMENT DECISION+ TO TRANSFER INFORMATION OFFICERS GRADE POSTS TO THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SHE SAID TWO OTHER GRADES - THE CHINESE LANGUAGE OFFICERS AND THE DATA PROCESSING STAFF DESERVED SIMILAR TREATMENT AND SUCH A MOYE COULD RESULT IN BETTER MANAGEMENT AND UTILISATION OF MANPOWER.

ANOTHER SUGGESTION MADE BY MRS FAN WAS THAT REVENUE SHOULD BE RAISED FROM THOSE WHO WERE USING THE HUNG HOM CONTROL POINT, THE LO WU CONTROL POINT AND MAN KAM TO.

SHE DISPUTED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S ARGUMENT THAT THE FACILITIES PROVIDED WERE PATENTLY INADEQUATE.

SHE MAINTAINED IT WAS NOT FAIR FOR THE TAXPAYER TO SUBSIDISE THOSE WHO VISITED CHINA AND THAT IT SEEMED MORE PALATABLE TO CHARGE A SMALL FEE NOW, WHICH WOULD BE ADJUSTED STEP BY STEP WHEN THE FACILITIES IMPROVED.

+FIFTEEN MILLION PASSENGERS TRAVELLED TO CHINA BY LAND IN 1984. IF A $5 IS LEVIED, THIS WILL YIELD $75 MILLION IN REVENUE.

+PURELY ON FISCAL GROUNDS, IT SEEMS RATIONAL TO TAP THIS SOURCE OF INCOME, SHE SAID.

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