XN000022-1988-04-20 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1988

TAX WOULD NOT ONLY PARADISE BUT WOULD

HE WARNED THAT THE IMPOSITION OF A SALES JEOPARDISE HONG KONG'S REPUTATION AS A SHOPPER'S ALSO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO TURN TO OTHER ASIAN COUNTRIES WITH CHEAPER CONSUMER GOODS.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BEWARE OF ANY ACTIONS WHICH MIGHT BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, WHICH HE SAID WAS THE LARGEST BARNER OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE LAST YEAR, BRINGING IN #25,400 MILLION.

"ALTHOUGH THE OUTLOOK FOR HONG KONG'S ECONOMY 19 REASONABLY BRIGHT, WE MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS INTRODUCTION OF A SALES TAX WOULD HAVE AN ADVERSE BACKLASH ON OUR BUOYANT ECONOMY TN THE LONG RUN, HE SAID.

**

HE THEREFORE URGED THE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ THINK THRICE ABOUT WHETHER IT WOULD BE WISE TO IMPLEMENT SUCH A PROPOSAL.

TURNING TO COMMUNITY SERVICES, MR CHENG SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD MADE THE RIGHT MOVE IN CONTINUING TO DEVOTE A SENSIBLE SHARE OF EXPENDITURE TO COMMUNITY SERVICES.

HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE EXPANSION IN COMMUNITY SERVICES, INCLUDING LAND AND ENGINEERING, HE SAID THERE WAS A NRED FOR REGISTRATION SYSTEM FOR ENGINEERS ΤΟ MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.

FOR STRUCTURAL

THERE WAS AT PRESENT NO SYSTEM FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ENGINEERS FOR STATUTORY PURPOSES, APART FROM THE ONE ENGINEERS, HE SAID.

THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO START A DIALOGUE WITH THE FOUR RELATED PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS ON THE FORMULATION OF A REGISTRATION SYSTEM, PROGRES9 WAS PAR FROM

SATISFACTORY.

"IT IS HIGH TIME THAT THE GOVERNMENT SPEED UP THE PROCESS AND SET UP A REGISTRATION SYSTEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS ARE INDISPENSABLE IN MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S REPUTATION A8 AN INTERNATIONAL CITY, HE SAID.

H

"

"A HIGH STANDARD OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE IS VITAL NOT ONLY IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD BUT BEYOND 1997 AS WELL.

*

MR CHENG HOPED THAT THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM COULD BR LEGISLATED DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF LOCAL PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS, SURVEYORS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SERVICES GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC HIGHEST QUALITY,

PLANNERS AND WERE OF

THE

/TURNING TO