TNAG-2132-FCO40-3047-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 55

For discussion

on 29 June 1990

FCR (90-91135 (OMELCO Ref. : ITL)

ITEM FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 178

TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

DEPARTMENT

New

Capital Account Subhead "Re-training

Ivory Workers Scheme

of Displaced

Members are invited-

(a)

to approve a new Capital Account subhead and 2

new Capital Account commituent of $5,880,000 for the re-training of displaced ivory workers by the Vocational Training Council' and Construction Industry Training Authority; and

the

(b)

to

approve

provision of

supplementary

under $5,880,000

the above subhead.

Introduction

As a result of a decision taken at the seventh conference of parties to the Convention on International and Flora Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna (CITES) in October 1989, all international trade in ivory In Hong Kong the by CITES

CITES parties has been banned. imports of ivory have been stopped since June 1989 and the ban on exports of ivory from Hong Kong will come into effect in July 1990. For many years Hong Kong has been a centre for ivory carving, and the estimated 1 200 carvers Involved in the trade are therefore hard-hit by the ban.

2.

the

Governor-in-Council

On 7 November 1989, decided that a scheme for re-training ivory craftsmen should be established with a view to equipping them for

employment.

was

alternative subsistence allowance

also decided It

the should be paid to

while they were undergoing re-training.

that a craftszen

/Present