XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 34

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

33

NEED SEEN FOR CONTROL POINT PLANNING

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WITH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PASSENGERS TRAVELLING THROUGH IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS INCREASING IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM 25.7 MILLION TO 29.8 MILLION TO 36 MILLION, THE GOVERNMENT WAS ACUTELY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR LONG TERM PLANNING, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+EXAMPLES OF BUILDING WORK COMPLETED OR IN PROGRESS ARE THE EXTENSION OF THE TEMPORARY TERMINAL AT LO WU AND WORK NOW PROCEEDING ON A NEW BUILDING TO BE READY IN MARCH 1987; THE SHA TAU KOK TERMINAL OPENED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR: A NEW PERMANENT TERMINAL IN MAN KAM TO TO BE COMPLETED IN 1986; A NEW PERMANENT TERMINAL TO BE COMPLETED FOR THE MACAU FERRY THIS YEAR:

A NEW PERMANENT TERMINAL FOR THE CHINA FERRY SERVICES AT TAI KOK TSUI TO BE READY AT THE END OF 1987: A NEW CONTROL POINT AT LOK MA CHAU TO BE COMPLETED IN 1987 AND THE FACILITIES AT THE AIRPORT TO BE EXTENDED BY 1987, + MR JEAFFRESON SAID.

IN ADDITION, MR JEAFFRESON SAID, PLANNING WAS GOING AHEAD TO EXPAND THE PERMANENT FACILITIES AT LO WU, ONCE THEY WERE COMPLETED, TO DEAL WITH EXPECTED INCREASES IN TRAFFIC, TO IMPROVE THE FACILITIES AT HUNG HOM, AND TO INTRODUCE COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR ALL CONTROL POINTS.

HOWEVER, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THERE WAS LITTLE HOPE FOR IMMEDIATE TEMPORARY RELIEF.

+ THE TRUTH IS THAT IN THE SHORT TERM THE SITUATION GENERALLY IS GOING TO GET, IF ANYTHING, WORSE. THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY VERY STRETCHED. TO DEAL WITH THE TEN MILLION, AND I REPEAT TEN MILLION, ADDITIONAL TRAVELLERS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO CREATE ONLY 78 ADDITIONAL POSTS FOR CONTROL POINTS.

+FOR THE PRESENT FINANCIAL YEAR, BECAUSE THE CIVIL SERVICE IS NOT BEING ALLOWED TO EXPAND, NO PROVISION FOR ANY ADDITIONAL POSTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR THE FURTHER INCREASE IN TRAVELLERS THIS YEAR (AND THE INCREASE COULD BE OF THE ORDER OF FIVE OR SIX MILLION) THE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE TO MANAGE WITH THE STAFF IT HAS GOT, MR JEAFFRESON SAID.

REFERRING TO THE TWO CONTROL POINTS AT TAI KOK TSUI AND MAN KAM TO SPECIFICALLY, MR JE AFFRESON SAID THE CONSEQUENCE FOR TAI KOK TSU! WOULD BE THAT BECAUSE OF LACK OF EXTRA STAFF (AND PROBLEMS OVER LUGGAGE HANDLING FACILITIES) IT WAS LIKELY TO PROVE IMPRACTICABLE IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR TO TRANSFER ANY OF THE TRAFFIC FROM TAI KOK TSUI TO THE NEW MACAU FERRY TERMINAL TO WHICH IT HAD BEEN HOPED TO MOVE ABOUT 50 PER CENT.

/IN THE