XN000022-1993-02-03 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1993

"THEREAFTER RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD WILL BE MADE TO THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL AND ANY LEGISLATIVE CHANGES WHICH MAY BE REQUIRED WILL BE CONSIDERED, HE SAID,

HE SAID THE CAPITAL COST OF THE CWTF WOULD BE REPAID BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 60 EQUAL MONTHLY INSTALMENTS OVER THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE FACTORY'S OPERATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONTRACTOR.

MR EASON SAID THE ANNUAL OPERATING COST IN THE FIRST FOUR YEARS, FROM 1993/94 TO 1996/97, WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $242 MILLION.

FUTURE HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS UNDER REVIEW

A

THE GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING HONG KONG'S HOLIDAYS WITH VIEW TO CONSIDERING WHICH OF THE PRESENT HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE RETAINED AND WHETHER THERE IS A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL OR REPLACEMENT HOLIDAYS AFTER 1997.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON PANG CHUN-HOI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THAT SOME CHANGES WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE IN FUTURE TO THE PRESENT HOLIDAYS то REFLECT THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY.

"SINCE THE HOLIDAYS FOR ANY YEAR NEED TO BE DECIDED AT LEAST EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THAT YEAR SO AS TO FACILITATE THE PREPARATION OF DIARIES, TIMETABLES AND SO ON, SOME ADVANCE PLANNING AND DISCUSSION WILL BE NECESSARY TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997, HE EXPLAINED.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE TWO SETS OF HOLIDAYS IN HONG KONG GENERAL HOLIDAYS PROVIDED UNDER THE HOLIDAY ORDINANCE, WHICH CONSIST OF ALL SUNDAYS AND 17 WEEKDAYS A YEAR, AND 11 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS PROVIDED UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

MR CHAN TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE REVIEW WOULD INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF WHETHER MAY 1, BEING INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY, SHOULD

DESIGNATED AS A HOLIDAY IN HONG KONG AND, IF SO, PROM

BE

ONWARDS.

WHICH YEAR

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