XN000022-1991-10-17 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1991

GOVT REGULARLY REVIEWS VISA REQUIREMENTS

THE TOLD ASPREY,

REVIEWS ITS

ALISTAIR MR SECURITY, FOR THE SECRETARY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT VISA REQUIREMNTS REGULARLY.

MR ASPREY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MR MARTIN BARROW,

HAD RELAXED RESTRICTIONS SAID IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT ON VISITORS FROM THE FORMER 'SOVIET BLOC'.

VISA PROCESSING TIME

"THE EFFECT HAS BEEN BOTH TO REDUCE THE AND TO PERMIT TOURIST VISITS BY THE NATIONALS OF MOST SUCH COUNTRIES.

"WE ARE ALSO AT PRESENT NEGOTIATING VISA WITH CZECHOSLOVAKIA, HUNGARY, AND POLAND,

ABOLITION

"I

HE SAID.

MR

AGREEMENTS

AS

FORMER

WITH AND

SOVIET

THE ΤΟ

SAID Å VIEW STREAMLINING

UNION,

ASPREY WITH REQUIREMENTS

AIM OF THE SPECIFIC

GOVERNMENT WAS NOW REVIEWING ITS VISA

REGARDS THE

RELAXATION,

FURTHER PROCEDURES AND REDUCING THE PROCESSING TIME FOR THE ISSUE OF VISAS.

THE

GOVT'S RESERVATIONS ON CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND

GOVERNMENT

CONTINUES TO HAVE MAJOR RESERVATIONS

ABOUT A

CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND.,

AT THE SAME TIME, IT RECOGNISED, AND HAD DONE SO FOR SOME TIME, THEIR THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE IN RETIREMENT OR IN

MEANS TO MAINTAIN A OLD AGE

HAVE SHOULD

SUFFICIENT REASONABLE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THEMSELVES.

FINANCIAL

THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY (THURSDAY) IN REPLY TO A BY THE HON LAU CHIN-SHEK.

CHAN, TOLD QUESTION

LAST

MR CHAN SAID THE QUESTION OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND WAS

GOVERNMENT'S DEBATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON JULY 10, WHEN THE POSITION WAS EXPLAINED IN DETAIL.

THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION WAS THAT IT DID NOT FAVOUR A PROVIDENT FUND OR SIMILAR COMPULSORY RETIREMENT SCHEMES.

CENTRAL

SCHEMES SUCH

WOULD "OUR

RESERVATION MAJOR

WAS THAT, WHILE

A REASONABLE BENEFIT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN STEADY EMPLOYMENT WITH INCOME, THEY WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO BE OF MUCH ASSISTANCE TO THOSE HAVE THE GREATEST NEED FOR RETIREMENT PROTECTION,

"WE WERE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF A PROVIDENT FUND OR SIMILAR COMPULSORY SCHEMES ON THE FINANCIAL AND ON THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE," HE SAID.

WHO

CENTRÁL MARKET

/THE SECRETARY