XN000022-1985-10-11 — Page 7

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1985

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HE SAID ALTHOUGH THE RSD WILL NOMINALLY REMAIN A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT AFTER THE SETTING UP OF THE FULL REGIONAL COUNCIL IN APRIL NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BECOME THE EXECUTIVE ARM OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

+HAVING REGARD TO THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS WHICH WILL BE SPENT BY THE DEPARTMENT IN IMPLEMENTING THE POLICIES OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, IT IS FELT THAT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VALUE FOR MONEY PROGRAMME, WHICH WILL NOT ONLY ENHANCE THE COST EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS OPERATIONS, BUT WILL BOOST PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN ITS HANDLING OF PUBLIC FUNDS,+ MR HAMMOND SA ID.

AT THE MEETING, THE COUNCIL ALSO ENDORSED AN EARLIER DECISION BY ITS WAYS AND MEANS SELECT COMMITTEE TO ACCEPT A PROVISIONAL ACCEPTABLE LEVEL (PAL) OF EXPENDITURE OF $869 MILLION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREPARING THE REGIONAL COUNCIL'S BUDGET FOR 1986/87.

IT ALSO ENDORSED A DECISION BY ITS ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE TO SUBJECT THE MANUFACTURE AND SALE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION OF BOTTLED WATER SOLD AS +MINERAL WATER+ TO GOVERNMENT CONTROL. THIS WILL PLUG A LOOPHOLE IN THE EXISTING DEFINITIONS OF +FOOD+ AND +DRINK+ IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE.

OLD 1.D. CARDS NOT VALID FROM OCTOBER 20

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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT ALL OLD IDENTITY CARDS BELONGING TO MEN BORN BETWEEN 1933 AND 1947 WILL CEASE TO BE LEGAL DOCUMENTS AS FROM OCTOBER 20, 1985.

+ THE INVALIDATION ORDER WILL RENDER 473 000 OLD CARDS INVALID, BUT 99 PER CENT OF THE CARD HOLDERS HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED THE IR NEW 1.D. CARDS,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

HE URGED THE REMAINING MINORITY WHO HAVE NOT YET APPLIED FOR NEW CARDS TO DO SO BEFORE THE INVALIDATION DATE.

THEY SHOULD BRING ALONG THE IR OLD 1.D. CARDS AND CALL AT ANY ONE OF THE EIGHT ISSUE OFFICES WITHOUT DELAY, HE SAID.

+FAILURE TO APPLY FOR A NEW I.D. CARD WITHIN THE PERIOD SPECIFIED IN A GOVERNOR'S ORDER IS AN OFFENCE,+ HE WARNED. +DEFAULTERS WILL BE PROSECUTED AND LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $3000.+

HE SAID THAT HOLDERS OF INVALIDATED 1.D. CARDS WOULD SUFFER A LOT OF INCONVENIENCE AS THE CARDS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY PURPOSE. FOR INSTANCE, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR A HONG KONG RE-ENTRY PERMIT.+

THE SPOKESMAN