XN000022-1992-07-08 — Page 31

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1992

FS: WELL, I HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR MEMBERS. I MEAN IT IS OBVIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO FIT EVERYTHING IN. AND WE HAVE THE WHOLE AFTERNOON FOR EXAMPLE COMING UP TODAY DEVOTED TO LEGCO MEETING, SO I HAVE SOME SYMPATHIES FOR THE TIME PRESSURE ON THEM. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW WE ARE MOVING FROM A SITUATION WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE SUCH MEETINGS IN THE PAST, WE SIMPLY GOT RATHER TOO LATE UNFORTUNATELY LAST

YEAR, A LETTER OR A FEW PAGES AND THAT WAS THE INDICATION. SO I MEAN THIS IS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN HAVING A DIALOGUE. AND WE HAD BEEN SIGNALLING THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS DIALOGUE FOR QUITE A WHILE. IT WAS KNOWN THAT IT WOULD TAKE PLACE THIS MONTH. SO IT'S NOT COME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BLUE. AS I'VE SAID WE WOULD TRY AND BE FLEXIBLE ABOUT READING ANY FURTHER THOUGHTS WHICH PEOPLE HAVE EVEN AFTER THE MEETINGS. AND THIS IS AFTERALL FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON RECURRENT EXPENDITURE, SO THERE BE FURTHER MEETINGS ON REVENUE AND CAPITAL.

WILL

WHICH

REPORTER: {INDISTINCT) YOU SAID THERE WILL BE SOME NEW AREAS YOU'LL PUT UP MONEY. SO WHEN WE SUBTRACT THE NEW AREA WHERE YOU'LL PUT UP MONEY FROM THE $5 BILLION, WHAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR PRIORITIES?

FS: I WILL MORE OR LESS ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT IS QUITE IMPORTANT NOT TO EXAGGERATE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE. $5 BILLION IS A LOT OF EXTRA MONEY. IT WILL BUY A LOT OF NEW SERVICES AND NEW. INSTITUTION FACILITIES AND SO ON. BUT IT'S STILL TRUE, AS YOU SAY, THAT QUITE A LARGE PROPORTION IN FACT IS NEEDED ΤΟ REFLECT PAST DECISIONS, TO DEAL WITH THE RESULTS OF PAST DECISIONS, YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT A NEW HOSPITAL BEING COMPLETED OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO STAFF IT. AND THAT HAS TO BE GIVEN SOME PRIORITY. SO THE AMOUNT FOR OTHER ITEMS IS NECESSARILY A SMALLER PART OF THAT MONEY. BUT IT IS STILL REAL EXTRA MONEY, AND WE CAN INCREASE THE EFFECT OF

THAT, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF NEW SERVICES WE CAN INTRODUCE, BY REDEPLOYMENT. SO I WANT TO KEEP COUPLING THE TWO. WE'RE NOT LIMITED ONLY BY THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY AVAILABLE WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT OPTION.

REPORTER: CAN YOU GIVE A BALL-PARK FIGURE?

FS: I'M AVOIDING BALL-PARK FIGURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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REGULATORY REFORMS FOR OUTBOUND TRAVEL INDUSTRY

THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR T.H. CHAU, ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD REACHED AGREEMENT WITH THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY COUNCIL (TIC) AND THE TIC RESERVE FUND (TICRF) ON A PACKAGE OF REGULATORY REFORMS FOR THE OUTBOUND TRAVEL INDUSTRY.

ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE REFORMS IMPLEMENTED BY AMENDING THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE.

**THE AGREED REFORM PACKAGE IS A RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY AND CONSULTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRAVEL AGENTS (ACTA) AND THE CONSUMER MR CHAU SAID.

WILL BE

EXTENSIVE WITH THE COUNCIL,

"THE PACKAGE