XN000022-1994-05-26 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1994

"OF COURSE, THE LEGAL PROFESSION'S VIEWS ARE KNOWN TO US BUT WE HOPE VERY MUCH IN THE NEXT STAGE OF THE CONSULTATION, WE WILL BE ABLE ΤΟ PERSUADE THE LEGAL PROFESSION THAT ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH THE ACTUAL PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF JUDGES IN THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL, NEVERTHELESS, THEY CAN BE PERSUADED THAT THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HONG KONG."

WHAT IS OF INTEREST TO HONG KONG IS TO GET THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL ESTABLISHED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT IT HAS SOME EXPERIENCE OF ACTUALLY RUNNING, SHE ADDED.

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DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR VISITS CUSTOMS

VISITED THE

THE DEPUTY ΤΟ THE GOVERNOR, MRS ANSON CHAN, CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON AS PART OF HER REGULAR VISITS TO UPDATE HERSELF ON THE DEPARTMENTS' SERVICES.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE COMMISSIONER, MR DON WATSON, COMMISSIONER MR LAWRENCE LI, MRS CHAN FIRST MET WITH THE OFFICERS AT CUSTOMS HEADQUARTERS AT HARBOUR BUILDING AND ON CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.

AND DEPUTY DIRECTORATE BRIEFED

WAS

COMMODITIES

SHE THEN VISITED THE OFFICE OF DUTIABLE ADMINISTRATION WHICH COLLECTS DUTY ON LIQUOR, TOBACCO, HYDROCARBON OIL AND METHYL ALCOHOL.

IN 1993/94, CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT COLLECTED $7.1 BILLION WHICH CONSTITUTED SIX PER CENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S RECURRENT REVENUE.

THE OFFICE ALSO ADMINISTERS A SYSTEM OF LICENCES AND PERMITS WHICH AIMS TO ACHIEVE EFFECTIVE REVENUE CONTROL ON THE IMPORT, EXPORT, MANUFACTURE AND STORAGE OF DUTIABLE COMMODITIES.

FROM HARBOUR BUILDING, MRS CHAN WENT TO THE TENTH FLOOR OF THE RUMSEY STREET CARPARK BUILDING WHERE THE INVESTIGATION BRANCH MUSEUM IS LOCATED.

SHE SAW MORE THAN 200 EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY IN THE MUSEUM. THESE WERE GOODS SEIZED BY MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING SMOKING AND MANUFACTURING PARAPHERNALIA WHICH WERE SEIZED IN A HEROIN CASE IN 1974.

MRS CHAN ALSO VISITED THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS CONTROL ROOM WHICH HOUSES AN EFFECTIVE AND SECURE RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES A CLOSE COMMUNICATION LINK BETWEEN SURVEILLANCE OFFICERS AND THEIR OPERATION COMMANDERS.

MRS CHAN LATER SAW VARIOUS ITEMS OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS SEIZED BY OFFICERS OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INVESTIGATION BUREAU.

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