XN000022-1992-09-22 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1992

THE SPOKESMAN SAID ALL MARICULTURISTS OPERATING IN THE FISH CULTURE ZONES HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WOULD TIGHTEN ITS LICENSING CONTROL OVER THE TERRITORY'S MARICULTURE OPERATIONS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

"STARTING FROM OCTOBER 1, LICENCES WILL BE RENEWED ONLY ALL LICENCE SPECIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS ARE COMPLIED WITH," HE

IF SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE PROBLEM OF SETTING UP ILLEGAL STRUCTURES RAFTS MAINLY OCCURRED IN SHAM WAN NEAR CHEK KENG HAU, SAI KUNG AND YIM TIN TSAI.

ON

IN

HOWEVER, HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT SOME MARICULTURISTS HAD ALREADY TAKEN STEPS TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION AFTER THEY WERE INFORMED OF THE NEW MEASURE TO BE TAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT.

HE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL ON THE MARICULTURISTS WHO HAD NOT DONE SO TO TAKE APPROPRIATE AND URGENT ACTIONS TO RECTIFY ANY BREACH OF THE LICENSING CONDITIONS, IN PARTICULAR THE NUMBER, DIMENSIONS AND USAGE OF STRUCTURES ON THEIR LICENSED RAFT AND THE SIZE OF THE RAFT.

"FOR ANY CONTRAVENTION OF THE LICENCE IDENTIFIED, WARNINGS WILL BE GIVEN AND A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE ALLOWED FOR RECTIFICATION,"

NO LICENCE WOULD BE

THE SPOKESMAN REITERATED THAT RENEWED UNLESS ALL LICENCE SPECIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS WERE MET.

HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT IN THE PAST, CANCELLATION OR NON-RENEWAL OF LICENCES WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONLY AFTER TWO OR THREE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS.

HOWEVER, THIS PRACTICE HAD BEEN USRD RY SOMB MARICULTURISTS AS AN EXCUSE FOR CONTINUING THE OFFENCE ON THE MISCONCEPTION THAT IT WAS TOLERATED BY THE LICENSING AUTHORITY.

"IMMEDIATE ENFORCEMENT

APPROPRIATE," HE SAID.

ACTIONS ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERED

CRITERIA ENDORSED FOR REHABILITATION

GREEN PAPER RECOMMENDATIONS

THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE (RDCC) ENDORSED A SET OF CRITERIA IN SETTING PRIORITIES FOR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE GREEN PAPER ON REHABILITATION AT ITS MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY).

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RDCC, DR RAYMOND WU, SAID IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE PRIORITIES FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS WITHOUT A SET OF OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR RATING THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE AND EACH RECOMMENDATION.

URGENCY

OF

/THE CRITERIA