XN000022-1990-06-06 — Page 23

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1990

THE

MR

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON RONALD CHOW ON DISCHARGE OF IMPROPERLY TREATED WASTE FROM THE DETENTION CENTRE, OXLEY SAID THE DISCHARGE FROM THE CENTRE CONSISTED PRINCIPALLY OF GREY WATER STORM WATER, WASTE WATER AND SO ON

WHICH WAS, HOWEVER, FROM TIME TO TIME CONTAMINATED BY SMALL AMOUNTS OF HUMAN WASTE.

"THIS CONTAMINATION IS THE RESULT OF THE BAD HYGIENE HABITS OF A FEW DETAINEES BUT I MUST STRESS THAT IT IS NOT OF MAJOR SIGNIFICANCE," MR OXLEY SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE DETAINEES THEMSELVES WERE THEREFORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLLUTION CAUSED, AND NOT A GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.

HE ALSO SAID THERE WAS A VIGOROUS EDUCATION PROGRAMME WITHIN THE DETENTION CENTRE WHICH HAD ALREADY RESULTED IN A IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOUR.

UNDERWAY

MARKED

SETTLEMENT A PRIVATE COMMERCIAL MATTER

AND

THE

LIMITED (OTB)

IT

AND

SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE OVERSEAS TRUST BANK MESSRS COOPERS AND LYBRAND IS A PRIVATE COMMERCIAL MATTER AND IS FOR THE BANK DIRECTORS TO DECIDE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE DEAL ITS TERMS SHOULD BE DISCLOSED, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON DAVID NENDICK, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR

PRESS ALL THAT

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON PETER H. Y. WONG, THAT THE NENDICK SAID: "IT MAY BE NOTED

BANK HAS ISSUED A RELEASE ON THE SETTLEMENT, AND THIS MAY BE TAKEN TO REFLECT THE BANK WISHES TO SAY ON THE MATTER.

•

THE CURRENTLY

HE

ALTHOUGH SAID

THE GOVERNMENT WAS

SOLE WAS EX- SHAREHOLDER OF OTB AND HE, AS SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS,

A OFFICIO CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT PARTY TO THE SETTLEMENT.

MANAGEMENT OF THE BANK RESTED WITH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHOSE DUTY IT WAS TO ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE BANK.

DIFFICULT PARTICULAR

DISCLOSURE OF MR NENDICK SAID THAT ON THE BROADER QUESTION OF TRANSACTIONS AND SETTLEMENTS BY THE GOVERNMENT, HE FOUND IT TO GIVE MR WONG A PRECISE ANSWER WITHOUT TRANSACTIONS OR SETTLEMENTS HE HAD IN MIND.

WHAT KNOWING

'TRANSACTIONS OR SETTLEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE

ENTITIES ARE NUMEROUS.

PRIVATE

BE

"AS IN THE CASE OF THOSE ONLY INVOLVING PARTIES IN THE SECTOR, SOME MAY WELL. BE COMMERCIALLY SENSITIVE WHILST OTHERS WILL OF LITTLE GENERAL INTEREST," HE SAID.

/MR NENDICK