XN000022-1994-01-12 — Page 38

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1994

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ALLEN LEE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR CHAU SAID PROSECUTION ACTIONS IN 60 OF THESE CASES HAD BEEN CONCLUDED AND THE REMAINING CASES WERE PENDING INVESTIGATION OR PROSECUTION.

1993.

HE SAID SUCH SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES HAD INTENSIFIED SINCE BARLY

BECAUSE THE SOURCES OF SUPPLY ARE OUTSIDE HONG KONG, THE CUSTOMS' EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSED ON INTERCEPTION AT THE BORDER AND DETECTION OF STORAGE AND SALES OUTLETS WITHIN THE TERRITORY.

"THESE TASKS HAVE PROVED DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE LARGE VOLUME CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC AND THE HIGH MOBILITY OF HAWKERS," MR CHAU

OF SAID.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PIRATED COMPACT DISCS SEIZED AND PERSONS ARRESTED BY CUSTOMS LAST YEAR WERE 93,927 AND 350 RESPECTIVELY, AS COMPARED WITH 10,117 AND 32 IN 1992.

i. ABOUT PENALTIES IMPOSED BY THE COURTS ON THE OFFENDERS MP÷CHAU SAID LAST YEAR THE AVERAGE FINE ON EACH COPY OF PIRATED COMPACT* Disc WAS $65.72.

IN ONE CASE THAT INVOLVED 468 DISCS, THE PENALTY WAS 56 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. IN ANOTHER CASE INVOLVING 112 DISCS, THE CONVICTED PERSON WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR 12 MONTHS. NO CUSTODIAL SENTENCE HAS BEEN IMPOSED.

MR CHAU SAID THE PENALTIES WERE LOW WHEN COMPARED WITH THE STATUTORY MAXIMA OF $1,000 PER PIRATED COPY AND ONE-YEAR IMPRISONMENT SET OUT IN THE COPYRIGHT ORDINANCE.

HE SAID THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES STIPULATED IN THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE REVIEWED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FORTHCOMING COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF COPYRIGHT LAW ARTSING FROM THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION'S RECENT

RECOMMENDATIONS.

ONLY THREE CONFIRMED LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE CASES IN HK

THREE CASES OF LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED UP DATE AND ALL HAVE RECOVERED.

ΤΟ

IN THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE,

LAM KUI-CHUN IN THE WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

A

MR BLAKE SAID THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WOULD BE ABLE TO MONITOR BETTER THE OCCURRENCE OF THIS DISEASE IN HONG KONG WHEN THE AMENDMENT REQUIRING THE TO THE QUARANTINE AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE ORDINANCE DISEASE TO BECOME STATUTORY NOTIFIABLE WAS ENACTED LATER THIS MONTH OR EARLY NEXT.

IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE LEGIONELLA BACTERIA ARE NOT PRESENT DEMOLITION OR CONSTRUCTION SITES IN LARGE NUMBERS AND THESE SITES NOT POSE THE HAZARD OF LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE TO WORKERS WORKING IN RESIDENTS DWELLING NEAR THEM.

ON

DO

OR

/"IN FACT