XN000022-1989-04-25 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1989

LEGCO TO DEBATE BUDGET PROPOSALS

FORTY-FIVE MEMBERS

TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) AND APPROPRIATION BILL RESUMES.

WILL SPEAK IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THURSDAY WHEN DEBATE ON THE 1989

TWENTY-THREE MEMBERS ARE LISTED TO SPEAK TOMORROW AND 22 ON

THURSDAY.

OFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL SPEAK ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 10.

IN ADDITION, THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT ON THE RESULTS OF VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS WILL BE TABLED AT THE MEETING.

WU

A

MEANWHILE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL BE ASKED AT IT'S MEETING TOMORROW TO APPROVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS FOR LO

CAMP AND POR PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE WHITEHEAD DETENTION CENTRE TO HOUSE 10,000 VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

ANOTHER

COMMITTEE DISCUSSES PROPOSAL TO SPEED UP EX-GRATIA PAYMENT

FOLLOWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A NEW PROCEDURE FOR PAYING EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES TO LIVESTOCK FARMERS, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FIRST BATCH OF PAYMENT FOR LIVESTOCK FARMERS WHO HAD CEASED OPERATION IN PHASE ONE STAGE TWO CONTROL AREAS WILL BE READY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, ACCORDING ΤΟ AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (BPD) REPRESENTATIVE.

MEMBERS OF THE LIVESTOCK WASTE DISPOSAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE TODAY (TUESDAY) DISCUSSED A PROPOSAL ΤΟ SPEED UP THE PAYMENT OF EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES TO LIVESTOCK FARMERS AFFECTED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIVESTOCK WASTE CONTROL SCHEME AND WHO HAD DECIDED TO CEASE OPERATION.

IN A BID TO EXPEDITE THE PAYMENT PROCESS, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT THE PROCEDURE BE SIMPLIFIED BY PAYING 100 PER CENT EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE TO ALL ELIGIBLE FARMERS WHO HAD COMPLETELY CEASED BUSINESS REGARDLESS OF THE LAND STATUS OF THE LIVESTOCK KEEPING STRUCTURES AND WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT FOR LAND STATUS CHECKS.

THE PAYMENT SHOULD THEN BE AVAILABLE TO THE LIVESTOCK FARMERS IN ABOUT EIGHT TO 11 WEEKS IN THE NORMAL CASE. THE NEW PROCEDURE WOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE EFFECT, AN EPD REPRESENTATIVE EXPLAINED.

HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL WOULD NOT CHANGE THE EXISTING POLICY THAT LIVESTOCK STRUCTURES ON GOVERNMENT LAND WOULD BE DEMOLISHED AFTER EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES WERE PAID.

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