XN000022-1986-04-09 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1986

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON DAVID LI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR THOMAS SAID IT CONTINUED TO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AT CONTROL POINTS TO SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT PASSENGERS FROM THE PHILIPPINES MET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.

+ WHERE AN IMMIGRATION OFFICER COULD NOT MAKE UP HIS MIND ,HETHER A PASSENGER ARRIVING FROM THE PHILIPPINES MIGHT OR

IGHT NOT OVERSTAY, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PASSENGER'S POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS WOULD HELP TO DETERMINE WHETHER HE WAS LIKELY TO RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES.+

HE SAID THE POLICY WAS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT ARRIVALS MUST HAVE ADEQUATE FUNDS FOR THEIR VISITS, AND HAD AN ONWARD BOOKING OR OTHER EVIDENCE THAT SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE FOR THEIR DEPARTURE.

+THEY CAN THEN BE ALLOWED TO LAND SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHICH INVARIABLY MEAN THAT THEY MUST LEAVE BEFORE THE END OF A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME,+ MR THOMAS SAID.

+VISITORS COMING FROM THE PHILIPPINES FOR LONGER THAN SEVEN DAYS' STAY IN HONG KONG ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE VISAS. THOSE COMING HERE TO WORK WILL NEED EMPLOYMENT VISAS.+

+ INTERIM PAYMENTS NOT CHECKED+

*****

NO MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO CHECK INTERIM PAYMENT SIGNED BY CONSULTANTS, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON NICKY CHAN, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON CHENG HON-KWAN, MR CHAN SAID THAT IT WAS NOT INTENDED THAT THEY SHOULD BE CHECKED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE.

HE SAID CONSULTANTS WERE APPOINTED BY SUBVENTED ORGANISATIONS TO DESIGN, PREPARE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND TO SUPERVISE CONTRACTS.

CERTIFYING INTERIM PAYMENTS DURING CONSTRUCTION WAS PART OF THE CONSULTANTS' PROFESSIONAL AND CONTRACTUAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

THE CONTRACT WAS MADE BETWEEN THE SUBVENTED ORGANISATION AND THE CONTRACTOR. THE CONSULTANT WAS APPOINTED BY THE SUBVENTED ORGANISATION TO ACT AS THE +ARCHITECT+ OR +ENGINEER+ UNDER THE CONTRACT.

+ IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR GOVERNMENT AS A THIRD PARTY OUTSIDE THE CONTRACT TO INTERFERE WITH CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS, SUCH AS THE CERTIFICATION OF INTERIM PAYMENTS BY THE ARCHITECT, MR CHAN SAID.

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