XN000022-1986-04-02 — Page 6

11

5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1986

ALTERNATIVELY, THE PUBLIC COULD MAKE USE OF THE INFORMAL CHANNELS: BY LODGING COMPLAINTS ON TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC MATTERS WITH THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT, THE MEDIA, INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO PHONE-IN PROGRAMMES, OR DIRECTLY WITH THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

MR SO GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS AND PROPOSALS FROM THE PUBLIC WERE ALL ACTED ON WITH SINCERITY BY THE AUTHORITIES AND, QUITE OFTEN, THEY SUCCEEDED IN BRINGING ABOUT CHANGES SO THAT TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT MEASURES WERE MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND MORE SUITED TO THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT.

THE EXISTING CHANNELS HAD PROVEN THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN GIVING THE PUBLIC A STRONG SAY IN TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT MEASURES BOTH AT THE TERRITORIAL AND THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT SUGGESTIONS ON HOW THESE CHANNELS COULD BE FURTHER IMPROVED WERE WELCOME, MR SO CONCLUDED,

U.S. ANNOUNCES GSP CHANGES

*****

THE UNITED STATES HAS ANNOUNCED SOME CHANGES TO ITS GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES (GSP), A TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE CHANGES WHICH WILL AFFECT HONG KONG ARE

* ONE ITEM, TSUS 685.90 (SWITCHBOARD PANELS, ETC),

HAS BEEN REDESIGNATED AS ELIGIBLE FOR DUTY-FREE GSP STATUS. IMPORTS OF THIS ITEM FROM HONG KONG IN 1985 AMOUNTED TO U.S.$64 MILLION.

* TWO ITEMS, TSUS 650.87 (SCISSORS SHEARS AND BLADES VALUED NOT OVER 50 CENTS/DOZ), AND TSUS 653.90 (TIN PLATED HOUSEHOLD AND SANITARY WARES,

ÚNENAMELED ETC) WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE

FOR DUTY-FREE GSP STATUS. IMPORTS OF THESE ITEMS FROM HONG KONG IN 1985 WERE U.S.$67 000 AND

U.S.$7 MILLION.

THE CHANGES WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1986.

COMMENTING ON THE CHANGES, THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THEY AROSE FROM AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SCHEME. UNDER THE REVIEW, BENEFICIARY TERRITORIES WOULD BE DENIED DUTY-FREE STATUS IN

ITEMS FOR WHICH IMPORTS FROM THE TERRITORY COMPRISED MORE THAN 50 PER CENT OF TOTAL IMPORTS OR U.S.$70 MILLION.

/CONSIDERATION IS