XN000022-1994-10-12 — Page 41

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1994

19

WEED AND PEST CONTROL

THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, HON SAMUEL WONG IN THE

IS A SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, MR TONY EASON, IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

(A)

(B)

PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES ARE USED TO CONTROL THE GROWTH OF INSECTS, FUNGI AND WEEDS ON GOLF COURSES. THE USE OF THESE PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES IS GOVERNED BY THE PESTICIDES ORDINANCE.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT EXCESSIVE PESTICIDES OR HERBICIDES HAVE BEEN USED ON GOLF COURSES. NOR IS THERE EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT LAND OR WATER COURSES IN THEIR VICINITY HAVE BEEN POLLUTED BY PESTICIDES.

BEEN ENCOURAGING THE

USE

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS

OF BIOLOGICAL AND MANUAL CONTROL OF WEEDS AND PESTS (I.E. HAND-WEEDING AND HAND-PICKING) ON GOLF COURSES. THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY DISCUSSING WITH THE HONG KONG GOLF

THE ASSOCIATION PREPARATION OF A CODE OF PRACTICE ON WEED AND PEST CONTROL, THE CODE WOULD ADVOCATE THE USE OF NON-CHEMICAL CONTROLS WHEREVER THIS IS POSSIBLE.

H

ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS

THE FOLLOWING IS A SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFIARS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MISS EMILY LAU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) :

MR PRESIDENT,

AT PRESENT, A NUMBER OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ALREADY ROUTINELY CONDUCT THEIR MEETINGS IN PUBLIC AND GENERALLY MAKE AVAILABLE THEIR PAPERS FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION. IN THE CASE OF ANOTHER 41 BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, THE CHAIRMAN AND/OR MEMBERS HOLD PRESS BRIEFINGS TO EXPLAIN MATTERS DISCUSSED BY THE BOARD OR COMMITTEE CONCERNED ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST. ALTERNATIVELY, PRESS RELEASES ARE ISSUED FROM TIME TO TIME BY SOME BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO KEEP THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC INFORMED. THERE IS THEREFORE A DEGREE OF OPENNESS BEING PRACTISED BY SOME BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ALREADY. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STATISTICS, MORE THAN 180 BOARDS AND COMMITTEES CONCERNED HAVE ALREADY ADOPTED ONE OF THE TWO WAYS TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF OPENNESS. I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT IN THIS CONNECTION THAT THERE IS AN INCREASING TREND TOWARDS MORE FORMAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON MAJOR POLICY INITIATIVES BEFORE THEY ARE

IMPLEMENTED.

/IN CONSIDERING