XN000022-1993-12-14 — Page 5

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1993

I

GOVERNOR: NO, WE'VE MADE CLEAR WHY WE HAVE TO START LEGISLATING. DON'T THINK THE COMMUNITY IS IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE REASONS FOR THAT AND I DON'T THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY ARE IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT OUR SINCERITY. QUESTIONS ABOUT SINCERITY ARE 1 THINK ASKED OF OTHERS. BUT WE'LL BE INTRODUCING THE LEGISLATION TOMORROW, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE WE'LL BE HAVING THE 18TH ROUND OF TALKS AT THE END OF THE WEEK. ONE MORE.

QUESTION: WITH THE PRESENT POLITICAL ROW, ARE YOU STILL CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL FLY OUT OF HONG KONG FROM CHEK LAP KOK IN 1997? DO YOU THINK THAT THE AIRPORT PROJECT WILL BE DELAYED ?

GOVERNOR: WELL, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE. I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I WILL FLY HOME. IT'S SOMETIMES BEEN SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD TAKE THE THROUGH TRAIN AND GO HOME ON THE RAILWAY LINES. BUT WHEREVER I DEPART FROM ON THE 30TH OF JUNE, 1997, I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT I'LL BE ABLE ΤΟ SAY HAND ON HEART THAT I'VE DONE MY BEST TO SEE THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND I AM SURE THAT I'LL LEAVE A COMMUNITY WHICH WILL BE EVEN MORE PROSPEROUS THAN IT IS TODAY, ENJOYING ALL THE FREEDOMS WHICH HAVE HELPED TO MAKE HONG KONG SUCH AN OUTSTANDING PLACE FOR ALL THESE FAMILIES TO LIVE IN. THANK YOU VERY

MUCH INDEED.

BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME ENTERS FINAL PHASE

THE FINAL PHASE OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SELECTION SCHEME WILL BE OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS FROM JANUARY 3 TO MARCH 31 NEXT YEAR.

COPIES OF A GENERAL GUIDE WHICH EXPLAINS THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND THE PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, IMMIGRATION OFFICES, PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRES OF DISTRICT OFFICES AND POST OFFICES.

APPLICATION FORMS, TOGETHER WITH A SET OF GUIDANCE NOTES ΤΟ HELP APPLICANTS COMPLETE THE FORMS, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THESE OFFICES FROM JANUARY 3.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE TWO-PHASE BRITISH NATIONALITY SELECTION SCHEME WOULD ENABLE UP TO 50,000 HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS IN HONG KONG TO BE REGISTERED AS BRITISH CITIZENS.

THE FIRST PHASE BEGAN ON DECEMBER 1, 1990 AND JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR.

WILL END ON

ABOUT 37,000 HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS ARE EXPECTED REGISTERED BY THE END OF THE YEAR, LEAVING ABOUT 13,000 PLACES TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE FINAL PHASE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

TO HAVE BEEN

THE QUOTA AVAILABLE FOR EACH OCCUPATIONAL GROUP AND APPROVED OCCUPATION WILL BE SET OUT IN A TABLE ENCLOSED WITH THE GUIDANCE

NOTES.

0

/5