XN000022-1994-02-08 — Page 4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1994

J

"WE HAVE ALSO MADE GOOD PROGRESS IN TIGHTENING CONTROL ON WATER POLLUTION. THE FINANCE COMMITTER'S $6.8 BILLION FUNDING APPROVAL LAST WEEK HERALDED THE START OF A PROGRAMME TO CONSTRUCT A SYSTEM ΤΟ COLLECT AND TREAT SEWAGE UNDER THE HIGH PRIORITY PROGRAMME THAT WILL CLEAN UP THE POLLUTION IN THE HARBOUR BY 70 PER CENT.

"WE

WILL PROCEED TO DECLARE IN STAGES VICTORIA HARBOUR AS THE LAST OF THE 10 WATER CONTROL ZONES AFTER TWO MORE WATER CONTROL ZONES (EASTERN AND WESTERN BUFFER WATER CONTROL ZONES) WERE DESIGNATED LAST YEAR, HE SAID.

ON AIR

AND NOISE POLLUTION CONTROL, MR EASON SAID DETAILED PROPOSALS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A STRATEGY TO CONTROL VEHICLE EMISSIONS WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON THE ENVIRONMENT LATER THIS YEAR FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S BROAD ENDORSEMENT OF THE STRATEGY LAST YEAR.

LEGISLATION WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED IN 1994 TO BAN OPEN BURNING, TO CONTROL CONSTRUCTION DUST AND PERCUSSIVE PILING AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION NOISE AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF ASBESTOS.

"IN

THE YEAR AHEAD, WE ALSO AIM TO ACHIEVE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS BY ESTABLISHING AN AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE AND MANAGE MARINE PARKS AND RESERVES FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT, BY SETTING UP THE ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION FUND TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, AND BY EXTENDING THE BOUNDARIES OF SOME OF OUR COUNTRY PARKS, MR EASON SAID.

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APPLICATIONS TO IMPORT WORKERS INVITED

ABOUT 11,000 QUOTAS FOR IMPORTED WORKERS UNDER THE GENERAL IMPORTATION OF LABOUR SCHEME WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REUSE THIS YEAR, AND PRELIMINARY APPLICATIONS FOR ALLOCATION WILL BE INVITED FROM MONDAY (FEBRUARY 14).

THESE WORKERS ARE TO REPLACE THOSE WHO WERE IMPORTED IN 1992 AND WHO ARE DUE TO LEAVE HONG KONG IN BATCHES UPON THE EXPIRY OF THEIR CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT LATER THIS YEAR.

THE OVERALL LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF IMPORTED WORKERS WHO MAY BE BROUGHT IN UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEME AT ANY ONE TIME REMAINS UNCHANGED AT 25,000, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION AND MANPOWER BRANCH SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

EMPLOYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE SCHEME MAY APPROACH THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT, LABOUR DEPARTMENT OR DISTRICT OFFICES WHERE APPLICATION FORMS, INFORMATION PAMPHLETS, EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS AND A LIST OF PRINCIPAL JOB TITLES IN BACH INDUSTRY (WITH ALLOWABLE MONTHLY WAGE LEVELS) ARE AVAILABLE.

THE CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS IS THIS YEAR.

"INTERESTED EMPLOYERS MUST REGISTER THEIR VACANCIES LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (LES) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BY A VACANCY REGISTRATION FORM (LD 295) IN DUPLICATE,

MARCH 25

WITH COMPLETING

THE

/"THE COMPLETED