XN000022-1986-11-05 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1986

SHE SAID SHE BELIEVED THE ESSENCE OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS CONSISTED MAINLY OF TWO PRINCIPLES - NO PREVIOUS HINDRANCE BEFORE PUBLICATION; AND ANY SANCTION BY THE AUTHORITY MUST BE THROUGH A COURT OF LAW.

SHE EXAMINED TWO SECTIONS OF THE ORDINANCE WHICH WERE THE MAIN CHARGING PROVISIONS OF THE LAW.

+SINCE THIS ORDINANCE HAS NO COUNTERPART LEGISLATION IN OTHER COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS RARELY ENFORCED IN THE PAST, THE SCOPE OF THESE PROVISIONS IS NOT CLEAR.

+NEVERTHELESS, THE ENGLISH POSITION IN THE COMMON LAW OFFENCE OF SEDITION MAY PROVIDE A BASIS FOR CONSIDERATION, SHE EXPLAINED.

MISS TAM THEN WENT ON TO ANALYSE THE VARIOUS OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINANCE WHICH SHE FOUND COULD BE ADEQUATELY COVERED UNDER THE COMMON LAW OFFENCE OF SEDITION AND THE CRIMES ORDINANCE.

HOWEVER SOME NEEDED REDRAFTING AND FURTHER DISCUSSION WHILE OTHERS COULD BE DELETED.

CHANGING THE SUBJECT, MISS TAM GAVE A WARNING THAT OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS HAD COME TO DOMINATE THE SCENE IN THE CIVIL ENGINEERING FIELD.

QUOTING FACTS AND FIGURES, MISS TAM TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS' SHARE IN MAJOR LOCAL BUILDING WORK WAS GROWING.

+FIGURES FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 1986 SHOW THAT OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS HAVE SECURED 54 PER CENT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CONTRACTS AND ARE CLEARLY INTENDING TO MAKE A STRONG BID TO DOMINATE THE FIELD.

+ IT WAS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING THAT LOCAL EXPERTISE WAS LACKING WHEN WORK WAS STARTED ON THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (MTR) BUT LOW-COST HOUSING IS NOT AN AREA WHERE LOCAL CONTRACTORS ARE DEFICIENT,+ SHE SAID.

SHE SAID THAT LOCAL CONTRACTORS HAD TOLD HER THAT OVERSEAS CONTRACTORS WERE BRINGING IN THEIR OWN ENGINEERS ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SUCH TALENTS IN HONG KONG.

SPEAKING FROM PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, MISS TAM SAID SHE FELT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD NOT ADHERED TO THE IMMIGRATION POLICY IN ISSUING WORK VISAS+.

+AS A RESULT OF THIS, OUR LOCAL ENGINEERS MAY BE DEPRIVED OF THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING IN LARGE PROJECTS AND THE BENEFIT OF OUR POLICY IN THE CONTROL ON WORK PERMITS.