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"In terms of continuity and confidence, particularly in the remaining days of transition, clearly the best outcome would be to allow the current legislature to straddle 1997 to serve the normal four-year term, which would take it to 1999," Mrs Chan said, adding that a provisional legislature was neither justified nor necessary.
"It will create a good deal of confusion and uncertainty, and we therefore remain opposed to the setting up of any provisional legislature." Mrs Chan told US media.
Mrs Chan leaves the US on Saturday (June 15, US time) for Hong Kong.
End
Efforts to speed up restaurant licensing
The Buildings Department has proposed a simplified procedure for vetting premises intended for use as restaurants, the acting Assistant Director of Buildings (Specialist), Mr Philip.Lau, said today (Saturday).
Mr Lau said the department had recently conducted a review on restaurant licensing and identified the difficulties encountered in processing the large number of applications referred from the two licensing authorities, that is, Urban Services Department (USD) and Regional Services Department (RSD).
"For all first-time applications, the Buildings Department is able to achieve a targeted standard of informing the applicants of the results and licensing requirements within 30 days of the applications.
"As to re-submitted applications, longer processing time is needed, mainly because of the extra time required for vetting remedial proposals and verifying compliance with the requirements under the Buildings Ordinance.
"The longer processing time for these re-applications has caused some concern," Mr Lau said.
To tackle the problem in the long run, the department proposes to simplify the procedures by way of a three-tier system for verification of compliance of licensing requirements:
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