XN000022-1992-10-14 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1992

"THE DIFFERENCES REFLECT CHANGES IN INTERNATIONAL PRACTICE OVER YEARS. IN FACT, CARBON MONOXIDE LEVELS IN ALL TUNNELS ARE ALWAYS KEPT WELL BELOW 125 PARTS PER MILLION, HE SAID.

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MR LEUNG SAID TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WITHIN THE TUNNELS WERE MONITORED CONTINUOUSLY BY STAFF USING CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION.

"IN THE EVENT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION OR VEHICLE BREAKDOWN, PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS PAID TO MAINTAINING AIR QUALITY.

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"WHERE NECESSARY, EXTRA FANS ARE SWITCHED ON TO IMPROVE VENTILATION AND VEHICLES ARE STOPPED FROM ENTERING THE TUNNEL UNTIL THE TRAFFIC STARTS MOVING AGAIN," HE SAID.

536 VISITORS PROSECUTED FOR ILLEGALLY WORKING LAST YEAR

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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED 536 VISITORS FOR WORKING IN THE TERRITORY ILLEGALLY LAST YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG, MR ASPREY SAID OF THESE, 521 CAME FROM CHINA, SEVEN FROM PAKISTAN, THREE FROM THE PHILIPPINES, THREE FROM AUSTRALIA, ONE FROM THAILAND AND ONE FROM INDIA.

HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED SOME 410 SUCH VISITORS IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

"OF THESE, 366 CAME FROM CHINA, 15 FROM BANGLADESH, 14 FROM PAKISTAN, SEVEN FROM THAILAND, FIVE FROM INDIA, TWO FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND ONE FROM SINGAPORE, HE SAID.

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HE SAID SENTENCES HAD RANGED FROM FINES OF BETWEEN $500 AND $2,000, SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCES OF BETWEEN ONE AND THREE MONTHS, AND IMPRISONMENT FAR BETWEEN SEVEN DAYS AND TWO MONTHS.

HE ALSO SAID THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED EMPLOYERS FOR EMPLOYING VISITORS LAST YEAR AND ONE WAS ACQUITTED.

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IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT PROSECUTED 208 SUCH EMPLOYERS AND ALL WERE CONVICTED, THE SECRETARY SAID.

"SENTENCES HAVE INCLUDED FINES OF BETWEEN $1,000 AND $6,000; SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCES OF BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR MONTHS; AND, IN ONE CASE, IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX WEEKS, HE ADDED.

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