-
If they did not, there would be no incentive for people
The
to come forward on time. Those whose existing
passports were due to expire after their (non-legal)
cut off dates would almost certainly wait until the
cxpiry dates (about one million cases in 1996/97).
resources committed to the project would then be
largely wasted. And we would still face a last-minute
rush. The "non-legal" approach would be less
controversial than the "legal" one. But it would not
achieve our objective. Neither would a single legal
cut-off date close to 1997, even if combined with an
earlier "non-legal" phased programme.
The risk would
remain that people would wait until the last few months
before the legal cut-off.
11.
Thus we propose that the programme run from
1993 to 1996 as suggested in Annex C. The proposal is
similar in concept to the recent new identity card
oxercise, with people being called forward by age
group.
12.
The Hong Kong Act 1985 provides that an Order
in Council may require applications for BN (0)
registration to be made before such time or times as
are specified. But there is no such provision in the
Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986.
Therefore,
to give legal force to the proposed programme, we must
wwwh all viuer in Council specifying the time limits
proposed in Annex C. The Order should provide for the
Governor, as issuing authority, to have a discretion to
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