XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

HE SUPPORTED THE RECOMMENDATIC THAT RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG BE DISESTABLISHED FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THAT IT BE GIVEN ADEQUATE FUNDING SO THAT IT COULD PROVIDE MORE BALANCED PROGRAMMES.

DR LAM ALSO BACKED THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON SETTING UP A BROADCASTING AUTHORITY AND A RADIO AND TELEVISION COMPLAINTS TRIBUNAL IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER COMPLAINT CHANNEL FOR THOSE WHOSE TELEVISION INTERVIEWS HAD BEEN MISQUOTED OR ERRONEOUSLY INTERPRETED OUT OF CONTEXT BY THE STATIONS.

CALL FOR OVERALL ANTI-SMOKING POLICY

*****

A CALL WAS MADE BY THE HON MARTIN LEE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PRODUCE AN OVERALL ANTI-SMOKING POLICY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THE BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD REPORT, MR LEE SAID SUCH A POLICY SHOULD INCLUDE RAISING THE TAX ON TOBACCO, PROHIBITION OF THE SALE OF CIGARETTES TO PERSONS UNDER 18, AND A TOTAL BAN ON ANY FORM OF TOBACCO ADVERTISING.

HE SAID THE PROPOSED BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION WAS BUT A SIDE ISSUE RAISED IN THE REPORT BUT IT HAD NOW BECOME ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL.

HE SAID THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER THAT SMOKING WAS HAZARDOUS TO HEALTH AND THIS WAS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT FIRMLY BELIEVED IN.

HE ALSO SAID HE HAD NO HESITATION IN ACCCEPTING THE SUBMISSIONS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND REJECTING THOSE OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY.

ON THE ARGUMENTS RAISED BY THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY, MR LEE SAID NONE OF THEM WAS NEW, ALTHOUGH MANY IN HONG KONG HAD HEARD THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME.

+THEY HAVE BEEN PRACTISED ON OVER 60 GOVERNMENTS IN COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

+WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE, PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN CANADA, EVERY GOVERNMENT WHICH HAD STUDIED THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE DECIDED TO BAN TOBACCO ADVERTISING ON TELEVISION, AND NONE OF THESE GOVERNMENTS HAS EVER REVERSED ITS DECISION, HE SAID.

+AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR TELEVISION PROGRAMME HAS NOT SUFFERED EITHER, HE ADDED.

/+AS TO