XN000022-1994-05-17 — Page 4

ليا

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1994

"IT CHINA AND

**

IS FRANKLY ESSENTIAL IF HONG KONG IS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE WORLD IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS AS WELL AS IT HAS

PAST 50, HE TOLD THE 11TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF

ARBITRATORS,

HONG KONG HAS STEPPED INTO A LEADING POSITION DEVELOPMENT OF ARBITRATION LAW BY ADOPTING THE UNITED CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT'S MODEL LAW IN 1990.

"THIS IMPORTANT STEP HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY OTHER NOTABLY BY EFFORTS TO LOCALISE LAWS," HE SAID.

MARITIME REGISTER,

FOR THE MARITIME

IN THE NATIONS

CHANGES,

ON

MR PATTEN ADDED THAT HONG KONG HAD MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS

LAW, FOR EXAMPLE IT HAS LAWS ON AN INDEPENDENT SHIPPING LIABILITY FOR OIL POLLUTION, SAFETY AND MARINE POLLUTION.

MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE, NOT LEAST TO WORK OUT WITH OUR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, THE CONTINUED APPLICATION TO HONG KONG OF INTERNATIONAL MARITIME CONVENTIONS TO WHICH CHINA TS STILL NOT A PARTY, HE SAID.

"BUT

COLLEAGUES,

+1

IN OTHER FIELDS, SADLY, THE LOCALISATION OF LAW HAS PROGRESSED ALL TOO LITTLE, It HE ADDED.

THE

GROUNDING IN THOSE

STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF LAW TO ECONOMY, HE SAID: "WITHOUT INVESTMENT IN LAW, WITHOUT FIRM FOR THE SYSTEM THAT MAKES AND UPHOLDS THE LAW, INVESTMENT OTHER THINGS WILL GIVE LESS RETURN.

CONSULTANCY STUDY ON NUMBER PORTABILITY

零章

THE OFFICE OF THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY (OFTA) ANNOUNCED TODAY (TUESDAY) THE CONSULTANT OVUM ENGAGED BY THE AUTHORITY TO STUDY TELEPHONE NUMBER PORTABILITY HAD COMPLETED ITS REPORT.

THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS COMPARED TO THE COSTS INVOLVED IN INTRODUCING NUMBER PORTABILITY IN HONG KONG AND RECOMMENDS THAT SUCH A SERVICE SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS FROM JULY 1995.

IT ALSO SUGGESTS A NUMBER OF OPTIONS ON THE QUESTION OF WHO SHOULD PAY FOR THE SERVICE.

OF

THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

TELECOMMUNICATIONS, MR ALEX ARENA, SAID NO DECISIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN YET

THE CONSULTANT'S

RECOMMENDATIONS.

ON

THE AUTHORITY WOULD CONSIDER THE OVUM REPORT TOGETHER WITH COMMENTS FROM THE INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC BEFORE MAKING FINAL DECISIONS ON NUMBER PORTABILITY.

WORKSHOP ON

OFTA HAS SCHEDULED AN INDUSTRY

MAY 30 ΤΟ RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY AND ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

/IT WILL