XN000022-1987-03-25 — Page 19

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+SECONDLY, THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR THE REVISION OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE TO EXPRESS MORE BROADLY THE POWER TO MAKE REGULATIONS FOR THE ISSUE OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, HE ADDED.

THE ARRANGEMENT FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO USE IDENTITY CARDS INSTEAD OF RE-ENTRY PERMITS WHEN TRAVELLING TO CHINA AND MACAU WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER SYSTEM - THE TRAVEL RECORD AND IMMIGRATION CONTROL ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM (TRAICES) - WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO STREAMLINE AND IMPROVE IMMIGRATION CONTROL PROCEDURES.

MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SYSTEM TO BE INSTALLED AT THE MACAU FERRY TERMINAL AND SHAM SHUI PO PIER SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY MAY 1 THIS YEAR.

+ IMMIGRATION OFFICERS AT CONTROL POINTS WHERE THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN INTRODUCED WILL KEY IN TO COMPUTER TERMINALS THE HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD MUNBERS OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS AS THEY ARRIVE AND DEPART.

+THE SYSTEM WILL CHECK WATCH LISTS AND WILL RECORD MOVEMENTS OF PASSENGERS. THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF TO CHECK THE WATCH LIST MANUALLY, FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO COMPLETE ARRIVAL CARDS OR FOR IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STAFF TO STAMP TRAVEL DOCUMENTS,+ HE SAID.

THOSE WHO HELD IDENTITY CARDS BUT EITHER CHOSE TO OR HAD TO TRAVEL ON PASSPORTS OF OTHER TYPES OF TRAVEL DOCUMENT WOULD ALSO BENEFIT PROVIDED THEY PRODUCED THEIR IDENTITY CARDS, HE ADDED.

MR JEAFFRESON NOTED THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD CONSULTED CHINA AND MACAU AND BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAD AGREED TO THE ARRANGEMENTS NOW PROPOSED. IN ADDITION, MACAU WOULD ACCEPT HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS AS ADEQUATE DOCUMENTS FOR TRAVELLERS FROM HONG KONG TO ENTER MACAU.

HOWEVER, THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS WILL NOT BENEFIT THOSE UNDER 18 YEARS OLD, AND THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO USE THEIR RE-ENTRY PERMITS, THUS ENSURING THAT THEY WOULD NOT EASILY TRAVEL OUT OF HONG KONG WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR PARENTS.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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