XN000022-1986-03-12 — Page 30

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1936

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HIGHER PENALTIES FOR LATE TRADE DECLARATIONS

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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED A MOTION TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR LATE DECLARATIONS UNDER THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (REGISTRATION) REGULATIONS AND TO RAISE THE MINIMUM CHARGE FOR THE AD VALOREM LEVY TO RECOVER THE COST OF COLLECTION.

IN MOVING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON E.P. HO, SAID THE EXISTING PENALTIES FOR LATE DECLARATIONS WERE SET IN 1976 AND SINCE THEN THE PERCENTAGE OF LATE DECLARATIONS HAD ALMOST DOUBLED.

HE SAID THIS ADVERSELY AFFECTED THE ACCURACY OF HONG KONG'S I EXTERNAL TRADE STATISTICS AND IT HAD BEEN NECESSARY TO DEPLOY CONSIDERABLE STAFF RESOURCES TO DEMAND LODGEMENT AND TAKE FOLLOW-UP ACTION.

+SIMILARLY, THE PRESENT MINIMUM CHARGE OF $2 FOR DECLARATIONS NOT EXCEEDING $4 000, WHICH WAS SET IN 1966, WOULD NEED TO DE REVISED TO COVER THE COLLECTION COST WHICH IS NOW ESTIMATED AT $4.78 PER DECLARATION.

+THE PROPOSED REVISION WILL ONLY AFFECT DECLARATIONS OF A VALUE BELOW $10 000 AS THE BASIC RATE OF THE AD VALOREM LEVY AT 50 CENTS PER $1 000 VALUE ABOVE THE MINIMUM WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED, MR HO SAID.

TWO DEGREE COURSES VALIDATED FOR BAPTIST COLLEGE

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WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE UK COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS (CNAA), THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE WILL START TWO VALIDATED DEGREE COURSES THIS YEAR, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

TABLING THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE ANNUAL REPORT 1984-85 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR WONG SAID THAT THE CNAA HAD RECOMMENDED TO THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE (UPGC) THAT THE DEGREE COURSES OF COMBINE SCIENCES AND SOCIAL WORK HAD BEEN VALIDATED AND COULD START IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

MR WONG SAID HE ANTICIPATED THAT MORE DEGREE COURSES WOULD BE SUCCESSFULLY VALIDATED IN THE NEXT AND COMING YEARS.

HE NOTED THAT 1984-85 WAS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE COLLEGE'S HISTORY A FULL YEAR UNDER UPGC FUNDING AND THEN OUTLINED A NUMBER OF POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS ACHIEVED.

FOR THE

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