XN000022-1985-12-02 — Page 4

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1985

+WE ARE STEADILY REFINING OUR PROCEDURES AND UP-DATING OUR LEGISLATION. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT WE NEITHER OVER-LEGISLATE TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR INDUSTRY, NOR ALLOW OUR STANDARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT TO BE COMPROMISED, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID NO SOCIETY HAD FOUND IT EASY TO RECONCILE THESE TWO FACTORS AND A BALANCE MUST BE STRUCK AT EACH STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT.

+BUT WE HAVE ALSO BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THE REPORTS FROM MANY

SENSIBLY COUNTRIES TO THE EFFECT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION CONCEIVED AND PROGRESSIVELY APPLIED CAN HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON INDUSTRY.

+ IT CERTAINLY TENDS TO ENCOURAGE ENERGY SAVING, HIGH MANAGEMENT STANDARDS AND THE PROFITABLE RECOVERY OF RAW MATERIALS FROM THE PRODUCTION PROCESS.

+THE MORE THAT INDUSTRY CAN BE CONVINCED OF THIS, THE MORE EASILY POLLUTION CONTROL CAN BE ENFORCED, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID HONG KONG STILL FACED A FORMIDABLE TASK IN TACKLING THE TWIN PROBLEMS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND URBAN POLLUTION.

+ IN THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION THE POPULATION WILL REACH

ABOUT THE TWO THOUSAND MILLION MARK BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY. HALF OF THIS POPULATION WILL BE URBAN.

+I BELIEVE THAT THE HONG KONG'S EXPERIENCE CAN CONTRIBUTE A USEFUL EXAMPLE ON WHICH OTHERS CAN DRAW IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THIS POPULATION IN A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE ARE VERY READY TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.

FRONT SEAT BELT WEARING RULE EXTENDED *****

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED PROPOSALS TO EXTEND THE COMPULSORY WEARING OF FRONT SEAT BELTS TO TAXIS AND LIGHT BUSES AND TO REQUIRE THE FITTING OF FRONT SEAT BELTS IN NEWLY- REGISTERED GOODS VEHICLES.

THE DECISION COMES IN THE WAKE OF A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER AND SEVERITY OF FRONT SEAT CASUALTIES IN PRIVATE CARS SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY SEAT BELT WEARING ON OCTOBER 1, 1983.

/A STUDY