XN000022-1985-03-28 — Page 27

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1985

+TO ENSURE THAT STANDARDS ARE MET, WE CAN SEND A FEW STAFF TO CARRY OUT PERIODIC INSPECTIONS, HE SAID.

MR LAM SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT WHETHER THIS PROPOSAL COULD BE CARRIED OUT DEPENDED VERY MUCH ON CHINA, BUT AT LEAST WE COULD LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND CONSULT CHINA ABOUT IT.

+THIS PROPOSAL MAY ALSO BE TREATED AS A FORM OF EXPERIMENT, EXPLORING THE FEASIBILITY OF THE ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS' CONCEPT IN A SMALL SCALE BEFORE 1997 IN THAT THE PROJECT WITH HONG KONG SPECIFICATIONS IS BEING CARRIED OUT UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY.

+FURTHERMORE, THE POSSIBILITY OF SERVING A SENTENCE IN SHENZHEN MAY PRODUCE GREATER DETERRENT TO POTENTIAL CRIMINALS OF SERIOUS CRIMES, HE ADDED.

HE FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT THE LAND WHICH WOULD BE VACATED EY STANLEY PRISON COULD THEN BE USED AS OPEN SPACE OR RECREATION GROUND TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL RESORT AREA AND ENHANCE THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF STANLEY TO TOURISTS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS ALIKE.

MR LAM ALSO CALLED FOR A REVIEW ON WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY

FOR BARRACKS TO BE SITUATED IN THE URBAN AREA.

+ IT SEEMS TO ME THAT RELOCATING THOSE BARRACKS IN THE URBAN AREA TO THE BORDER REGION MIGHT INCREASE THE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE TROOPS WHILE RELEASING THE URBAN SITES FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS COMMUNITY CENTRES, CARPARKS, SPORTSGROUND AND SITTING-OUT AREAS WHICH ARE BADLY NEEDED IN MANY URBAN DISTRICTS,+ HE SAID.

MR LAM ADMITTED THIS PROPOSAL WOULD INVOLVE SOME MONEY, BUT HE FELT THAT SOME CONSIDERATION MIGHT BE GIVEN TO THIS POSSIBILITY AND CONSULTATIONS COULD BE HELD WITH THE UK GOVERNMENT SO THAT THE RELOCATION EXERCISE COULD START WHEN THE ECONOMY IMPROVED.

TURNING TO THE REVENUE SIDE, MR LAM FULLY AGREED WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THAT ALL WHO CREATED WEALTH FOR HONG KONG MUST NOT BE DISCOURAGED BY OUR TAXATION SYSTEM.

HE SAID THE COMMUNITY WAS RELIEVED THAT NO INCREASE IN DIRECT TAXES WERE PROPOSED AND THE RISE IN INDIRECT TAXATION WAS MODERATE AND WOULD NOT CAUSE UNDUE HARDSHIP TO THE PUBLIC.

MR LAM SAID HE DID NOT SUBSCRIBE TO THE VIEW THAT SOFT DRINKS, WHICH WERE MAINLY CONSUMED BY CHILDREN, SHOULD NOT BE TAXED.

ECHOING THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S VIEW THAT SOFT DRINK WAS 'A PLEASING INDULGENCE NOT A NECESSITY', HE SAID: IT ONLY INVOLVES PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR SOMETHING WHICH IS BASICALLY NON-ESSENTIAL CONSUMPTION.-

/ON THE