TNAG-1728-FCO40-2441-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 187

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

4

6

7

8

9.

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

ap 17

18

19

Nip 20

22

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

24

25

26

Np.27

28

29

NP30

31

32

33

34

35

36

£for cent

as a

The

Minister is accurate, it should come rude shock to all of us in Hong Kong that our middle-income groups are paying a higher taxes than their counterparts in Singapore. Financial Secretary has no doubt received the submission from the Beverage Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong urging removal or reduction of the duty on non-alcoholic bev- erages. I hope that the Financial Secretary will consider this sympathetically and let them know where they stand with a detailed explanation as soon as possible.

repust

Although the terms of the new agreement on Defence costs have not yet been finalised, it is possible that the British Government is only prepared to reduce Hong Kong's contribution to 70% of the cost of the garrison from the

DEL CONCE current agreement of 75% As against Hong

could be that Kong's proposal which I gather

to

fer cent

to cant

the costs could be on a 50:50 basis. As the border control functions currently performed by the British Army will in future be taken over by Hong Kong police, I believe it would be fairer to Hong Kong if the percentage were to be progressively reduced year by year by 5/10 until parity for sharing the costs is reached. With each passing year, the pro- blem of Vietnamese refugees coming to Hong Kong seems to get more intractable with no light at the end of the tunnel. The Viet- namese refugee problem is an international issue, but the British Government should assume the major financial responsibility in the caring for the 10,000 Vietnamese ref- ugees now in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Govern- ment should start negotiating with the

عيد

Comments

Approved members can add comments, bookmarks, and private notes.

No comments yet.

Private Research Note

Private notes are available after approval.