XN000022-1991-11-20 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1991

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"IT MAINTAINS CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND TACKLES SERIOUS CASES REFERRED BY THE DEPARTMENT.

PARTICULAR

AT

"SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED IN SHA TIN, TUEN MUN AND KWAI TSING. THESE EXERCISES ARE SOMETIMES ASSISTED BY THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING MANAGEMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEES SET UP BY DISTRICT BOARDS," HE SAID.

SCHEME NEXT, MR BARNES SAID, AN EFFECTIVE CRADLE-TO-GRAVE THE CONTROL OF CHEMICAL WASTES WAS BEING FORMULATED.

FOR

"IT IS HOPED TO INTRODUCE THIS SCHEME IN 1992 SO THAT SCHEME WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE NEW CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY IS COMMISSIONED AT THE END OF 1992, HE SAID.

THE

Tr

UNDER

DURING THE PAST 12 MONTHS FROM NOVEMBER LAST YEAR TO THE END OF OCTOBER THIS YEAR, MR BARNES SAID THERE WERE 73 PROSECUTIONS THE DUMPING AT SEA ACT FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING ACTIVITIES, AND 80 PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE SUMMARY OFFENCES ORDINANCE FOR MINOR LITTERING OFFENCES.

HE SAID THE WATER QUALITY HAD BEEN CONSISTENTLY BAD IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, ALTHOUGH THERE HAD NOT BEEN SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION.

"DISSOLVED OXYGEN HAS BEEN ABOVE 50 PER CENT WHICH IS ABOUT THE LOWEST TOLERABLE LEVEL FOR MARINE LIFE. THE DISTRIBUTION OF BEEN BACTERIA E. COLI VARIES WIDELY, BUT IN SOME PLACES READINGS HAVE AS HIGH AS 10,000 PER 100 ML," HE SAID.

0

UNTIMELY TO INTRODUCE SALES TAX NOW

* *

THE

INFLATION

GOVERNMENT DOES

-

NOT BELIEVE THAT NOW A IS THE TIME TO INTRODUCE A SALES TAX, THE THE TREASURY, MR K.Y. YEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE (WEDNESDAY).

TIME OF HIGH SECRETARY FOR COUNCIL TODAY

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON HOWARD YOUNG, MR YEUNG ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT FULLY ACCEPTED THAT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION ON THE ISSUE AT SOME FUTURE DATE, IT WOULD NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC, AND THE NEED TO GAIN THE SUPPORT OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MR YEUNG SAID THE PROBLEM THAT THE SALES TAX IDEA WAS INTENDED TO TACKLE WAS THAT THE PRESENT TAX BASE WAS TOO NARROWLY BASED.

**FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT EIGHT PER CENT OF SALARIES TAXPAYERS NOW CONTRIBUTE 56 PER CENT OF ALL SALARIES TAX REVENUE, HE SAID.

"AS REGARDS PROFITS TAX, ABOUT ONE-THIRD IS CONTRIBUTED BY LESS THAN 0.1 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S BUSINESSES."

THE SECRETARY