XN000022-1992-02-11 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1992

"THESE PROPOSALS RECEIVED WIDE PUBLICITY BUT REACTION FROM CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE PUBLIC,

DREW A

NEGATIVE

"

HE SAID.

JOCKEY

CLUB то A PILOT

THE SECRETARY SAID THIS REACTION HAD LED THE REVISE THE PROPOSALS. THEY ASKED TO BE PERMITTED TO CONDUCT SCHEME FOR THE SALE OF MARK SIX TICKETS THROUGH CSL SHOPS.

NINE CSL

$20.

THE PILOT SCHEME COMMENCED ON OCTOBER 7 LAST YEAR IN SHOPS. ONLY INSTANT PICK TICKETS WERE SOLD AT A MINIMUM PRICE OF A FURTHER THREE SHOPS WERE ADDED TO THE LIST AS THE TRIAL PROCEEDED.

THE "IN ORDER TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ALLOW FOR

ON A OF SALES OUTLETS

PERMANENT BASIS, THE GOVERNMENT MONITORING THE TRIAL VERY CAREFULLY, MR SUEN EMPHASISED.

[

OF

TO

EXPANSION

HAS

BEEN

NEWSPAPER PURCHASE PUBLIC

COUPLE SO FAR, HE SAID, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A

EXPATRIATE CONCERNING

TEENAGERS REPORTS

BEING ABLE TICKETS, THERE HAD BEEN FEW PROBLEMS AND THE REACTION FROM THE HAD BEEN RELATIVELY MILD.

MR SUEN ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES CLUB AND HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION (CNTA), TOGETHER WITH THE JOCKEY

CARRY TELECOM CSL, HAD COMMISSIONED A PRIVATE COMPANY TO

OUT PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON THE TRIAL.

"WE WILL ALSO SHORTLY BEGIN A ROUND OF CONSULTATION WITH DISTRICT BOARDS TO SOLICIT THEIR VIEWS," MR SUEN SAID.

BE

HE SAID ALL THESE VIEWS, TOGETHER WITH ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED

OTHER SOURCE WOULD FROM THE PRESS, THE DISTRICT OFFICES AND ANY

FUTURE OF THE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SCHEME.

EVEN TODAY, MR SUEN CAUTIONED, HONG KONG WAS FACING ILLEGAL GAMBLING IN MANY FORMS.

IT WAS

WITH

FOR THIS REASON, HE SAID,

ESSENTIAL THAT THE LEGAL OF ILLEGAL FORMS OF GAMBLING DID KEEP PACE WITH THE TWISTS AND TURNS OPERATORS TO ENSURE THEIR VIABILITY AS ANTI-GAMBLING DEVICES.

"THE GOVERNMENT REMAINS NEUTRAL IN ANY ASSESSMENT OF A NEW TAKE A GAMBLING PROPOSAL, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL HAVE TO

COMMUNITY OR DECISION WHICH WILL BE UNPOPULAR WITH ONE SECTOR OF THE ANOTHER," HE ADDED.

MR SUEN REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY BEEN TO RESTRICT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAMBLING.

HAD ALWAYS

"IN PRACTICE, THIS MEANS STRICT LAWS ACTION

ILLEGAL AGAINST

GAMBLING ACTIVITIES, PROVISION OF CONTROLLED ALTERNATIVES WHERE ESTABLISHED," HE SAID.

A

COGENT

AND FIRM

SUPPORTED NEED

ENFORCEMENT

BY HAS

THE BEEN

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