TNAG-2131-FCO40-3046-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 79

A.

RESTRICTED

thee (sill.

RECEIVED IN

3 0 MAR 1990

STRY

AIR &

R

112736

MOLIAN 861273

RESTRICTED

FM HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 1006

OF 221045Z MARCH 90

INFO ROUTINE WASHINGTON, NAIROBI, PEKING, OTTAWA, UKMIS NEW YORK

INFO ROUTINE EC POSTS

173

WASHINGTON TELNO 666: AFRICAN ELEPHANT IVORY: HONG KONG RESERVATION TO CITES BAN: CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE INFORMATION IN TUR. THE ADDITIONAL DATA

REQUESTED IS AS FOLLOWS:-

(A)

DURING THE PERIOD 18 JANUARY

COVERING

J

21 MARCH, EXPORT LICENCES

(I)

266 KG OF WORKED IVORY AND

(II)

1320 KG OF RAW IVORY HAVE BEEN ISSUED.

(B) ON RETRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT, THE LATEST DATA WE HAVE IS THAT ONLY ONE WORKER HAS COMMENCED A FULL TIME VTC COURSE. TEN

OTHERS HAVE BEEN ADMITTED TO COURSES WHICH WILL START LATER IN THE YEAR. A FURTHER 56 RESPONDED TO INITIAL ENQUIRIES FROM THE VTC. TWENTY OF THESE HAVE FALLEN BY THE WAYSIDE LEAVING 36 TO LET US KNOW WHETHER THEY WISH TO ENROL ON COURSES. THE NUMBER OF WORKERS

WHO HAVE BEEN PLACED IN ALTERNATIVE JOBS THROUGH THE AUSPICES OF

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT REMAINS AT 26. AS WE SAID IN OUR TELNO 887 (TO FCO ONLY) THE REAL POINT ABOUT ALL THIS IS THAT WE MUST DO, BE SEEN TO BE DOING, ALL WE CAN TO ASSIST THE WORKERS TO FIND ALTERNATIVE JOBS OR UNDERTAKE RETRAINING.

2.

AND

FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AGREED YESTERDAY TO THE INTRODUCTION INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF NEW LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE THAT, FROM 17 JULY 1990, THE DAF SHALL NOT ISSUE A LICENCE FOR THE IMPORT OR EXPORT OF COMMERCIAL SHIPMENTS OF ANY CITES APPENDIX I SPECIES.

WILSON

YYYY

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