XN000022-1992-11-04 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1992

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUI-CHUNG THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, MR STRACHAN SAID:

IN

"IT WOULD MAKE VERY LITTLE SENSE IN MOST CASES TO IMPOSE CORRESPONDING ENTRY VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONALS OF THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH DO NOT OFFER RECIPROCAL ENTRY VISA REQUIREMENTS TO HONG KONG RESIDENTS."

THIS WOULD IN GENERAL BE DETRIMENTAL TO HONG KONG WHICH DEPENDS SO MUCH ON TRADE AND TOURISM.

MR STRACHAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS KEEN TO MAXIMISE OF TRAVEL OF ALL HONG KONG RESIDENTS, INCLUDING HOLDERS OF CERTIFICATES OF IDENTITY.

HONG KONG

THE EASE HONG KONG

OFFERS NATIONALS OF 170 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES VISA-FREE VISIT TO HONG KONG. 75 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES OFFER VISA-FREE VISIT TO HOLDERS OF HONG KONG BDTC OR BN (0) PASSPORTS.

ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS REMAINS UNCHANGED

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS NO INTENTION OF CHANGING THE BASIC ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON GILBERT

LEUNG, SUEN SAID THERE WAS NO PLAN TO LET THE DISTRICT BOARDS TAKE OVER WORK AND FUNCTION OF THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

MR

THE

FOR

HE SAID THE COMMITTEE WOULD STILL REMAIN THE FORUM INTER-DEPARTMENTAL DELIBERATION OF DISTRICT MATTERS AND CO-ORDINATION OF ACTION TO DEAL WITH DISTRICT PROBLEMS.

HOWEVER, MR SUEN SAID THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO STRENGTHEN THE INFLUENCE AND PARTICIPATION OF DISTRICT BOARDS IN LOCAL AFFAIRS.

"THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY REQUIRING GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE HEED OF THE ADVICE OF DISTRICT BOARDS IN THEIR WORK AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

"COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLANS ADOPTED BY THE DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO TACKLE DISTRICT PROBLEMS WILL HAVE то BE DEVISED IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

"DEPARTMENTS WILL BECOME MORE ACCOUNTABLE ΤΟ DISTRICT BOARDS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH ACTION PLANS. REGULAR REPORTS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO DISTRICT BOARDS TO ENABLE THEM TO MONITOR PROGRESS MORE CLOSELY, HE SAID.

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AND, MR SUEN NOTED THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO AMEND ANY LEGISLATION TO GIVE EFFECT TO THIS.

/ON THE