XN000022-1993-11-10 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1993

ADDED.

THOSE DETERMINED NOT TO BE REFUGEES SHOULD RETURN HOME, HR

SINCE 1989, OVER 35,000 VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS HAVE RETURNED TO VIETNAM FROM HONG KONG.

DURING THE SAME PERIOD, 24,500 VIETNAMESE REFUGEES HAVE ALSO LEFT THE TERRITORY.

"THE REMAINING POPULATION NOW STANDS AT 35,000, INCLUDING ABOUT 2,000 REFUGEES, MR ASPREY SAID.

ONLY 12 VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS ARRIVED LAST YEAR; AND 55 SO FAR THIS YEAR.

BUS SHELTERS WITH ASBESTOS TO BE REPLACED

* *

THE GOVERNMENT WILL LIAISE WITH THE BUS COMPANIES TO EXPEDITE REPLACEMENT OF OLD BUS SHELTERS STILL CONTAINING ASBESTOS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON LAM KUI-CHUN, MR BARMA SAID THE FOUR FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES PROVIDED AND MAINTAINED A TOTAL OF 1,543 BUS SHELTERS, OF WHICH 374 CONTAINING ASBESTOS IN THEIR CORRUGATED ROOF SHEETS.

HE SAID THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT HAD ADVISED THAT UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THESE BUS SHELTERS DID NOT POSE ANY HEALTH HAZARD BECAUSE THE ASBESTOS CONTENT WAS LOCKED IN A MATRIX OF CEMENT AND WOULD ONLY BE RELEASED UNLESS THE SHEETS WERE DAMAGED.

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*AT THE BEHEST OF THE GOVERNMENT,

SINCE 1987 CONTAIN NO ASBESTOS."

BUS SHELTERS CONSTRUCTED

AS FOR THOSE OLDER BUS SHELTERS WHICH STILL CONTAIN ASBESTOS, KOWLOON MOTOR BUS AND CITYBUS EACH HAVE A TWO-YEAR REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME WHILE CHINA MOTOR BUS AND NEW LANTAO BUS'S APPROACH IS TO REPLACE SHELTERS, WHEN DAMAGED, WITH NON-ASBESTOS MATERIAL.

IN ALL CASES, THE BUS COMPANIES WILL SEEK ADVICE FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT ON THE NECESSARY SAFEGUARDS WHEN REPLACING THESE SHELTERS, HE SAID.

MR BARMA FRANCHISED BUS EXPEDITED."

SAID: "THE GOVERNMENT WILL OPERATORS TO SEE WHETHER

LIAISE WITH THE THIS PROCESS CAN

FOUR

BR

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