Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777
Tuesday, January 27, 1998
CONTENTS
========
1. CE's Lunar New Year message
2. Extension of visa free access period welcomed
3. Air Navigation (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation revised
4. Legislative framework for local appointment of notaries
5. Bill to amend Building Management Ordinance gazetted
6. CE's greeting card on Internet
7. Update on avian flu
8. External trade figures for December 1997
9. Tender invites for ferry service licences
10. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
1. CE's Lunar New Year message
***************************
Following is the full text of the Lunar New Year
message delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee
Hwa, today (Tuesday):
"As we celebrate the Year of the Tiger, I would like
to take this opportunity to extend my warmest wishes to
you all.
"This is the first Lunar New Year after the
establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region in July 1997. The successful implementation of the
principles of 'one country, two systems' and 'Hong Kong
people running Hong Kong' have been welcomed by the whole
community. With the support of the Central People's
Government and the hard work of the Hong Kong people, the
SAR has made a good start. We have drawn up long term
goals for the future development of Hong Kong, and we are
now turning them into reality.
"Our optimistic mood after reunification with China
has been affected by the recent Asian financial turmoil.
We all agree that defending the linked exchange rate has
helped to stabilise the economy, but the resulting high
interest rates have brought hardship to some. The present
situation will, I am afraid, continue for some time.
However, the Government will take all possible steps to
provide a helping hand. While, I realise, the measures
now under consideration may not meet the needs and
aspirations of everyone, we are doing our best and will
certainly take the interests of the entire community into
account. Apart from doing our utmost to tackle the
immediate problems, we will strive to lay a firm
foundation for the long-term development of Hong Kong.
"In the past few years, we have been troubled by
soaring property prices, high inflation and negative
interest rates. The Asian financial turmoil gives us an
opportunity to make quicker adjustments to these negative
factors. This process of adjustment is a challenge to us
all. We must remain calm and collected to overcome these
temporary setbacks. Once this has been achieved, the
foundations for our future progress and prosperity will be
further strengthened.
"Amidst the joy of this festive occasion and the
warmth of family gatherings, especially when I am looking
at my grandchildren, I know there are two things that we
must do. First, we should endeavour to work for the well-
being of the next generation. Only by doing this shall we
be able to plan for Hong Kong's future with a new vision
and commitment. Secondly, the Government must regard the
people of Hong Kong as members of a large family, to
ensure that the elderly, the poor and the underprivileged
are well cared for and are provided with a sense of
security.
"To me, this year has indeed been a very special one.
The Hong Kong people and the Central People's Government
have entrusted me with the responsibility as the first
Chief Executive of the HKSAR. I have been given the
greatest honour, and I have accepted the greatest
challenge of my life. May I take this opportunity to
pledge that I will exert every effort to perform my duties
and work hand in hand with you all towards the 21st
Century.
"Spring is upon us again, and my wife, Betty, and I
would like to wish all of you good health and a prosperous
year."
End
2. Extension of visa free access period welcomed
*********************************************
The Government welcomes the Malaysian Government's
decision to extend the visa-free access period to one
month for holders of the Hong Kong SAR Passport, a
Government spokesman said today (Tuesday).
"A large number of Hong Kong residents visit
Malaysia, both for business and tourism. This decision
will give them greater flexibility when travelling and is
good news for them," he said.
End
3. Air Navigation (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation revised
****************************************************
The Chief Executive, in consultation with the
Executive Council, has made an amendment regulation to
revise the structure and fee for the issue and renewal of
an aerodrome licence.
The regulation, the Hong Kong Air Navigation (Fees)
(Amendment) Regulation 1998 was published in the
Government Gazette today (Tuesday).
The Amendment Regulation abolishes the two-tier
structure for licensing and specifies that the maximum
charge payable for the issue and renewal of an aerodrome
licence shall be $10,000,000.
A Government spokesman said that the existing
arrangement for the issue and renewal of an aerodrome
licence had become obsolete.
For the issue of an aerodrome licence in respect of
the new Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) at Chek Lap
Kok to the Airport Authority (AA), the CAD has to put in
place licensing requirements and monitor compliance on an
on-going basis.
The objective is to ensure that the operations of the
new HKIA meet the relevant international standards and
that it is safe for use by aircraft.
Considerable work have to be done. These include
checking the design and maintenance of the physical
characteristics, visual aids, security arrangements,
support facilities, communication equipment of the new
airport; assessing organisation, staffing and training of
the AA; vetting aerodrome manuals, emergency rules, plans
and procedures and examining the adequacy of supporting
services like aircraft rescue etc.
CAD estimates that the cost of the service would
amount to around $9 million. The aerodrome licence is
subject to annual renewal.
The spokesman said that the Amendment Regulation
aimed to put in place the structure and fee for new
regulatory arrangement considered necessary for the issue
and renewal of an aerodrome licence by CAD.
"The proposed cap for the licensing fee is in line
with the Government's policy of recovering full cost for
the services provided.
"The AA has been advised of the proposed cap for the
issue and renewal of an aerodrome licence and has raised
no objection," he added.
The Amendment Regulation, which will be tabled before
the Provisional Legislative Council on February 11, 1998,
will come into effect on March 20, 1998.
End
4. Legislative framework for local appointment of notaries
*******************************************************
A bill designed to provide a new legislative
framework to establish a system of locally-appointed
notaries was published in the Gazette today (Tuesday).
A spokesman for the Department of Justice pointed out
that the previous system of appointment of notaries by the
Archbishop of Canterbury came to an end on July 1, 1997.
Since then, notaries public appointed prior to that date
have continued with all their previous powers under the
Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance.
"Since then, however, it has not been possible to
appoint new notaries for Hong Kong in the absence of a new
legislative framework," the spokesman explained.
Following a review conducted by the Administration on
the system of appointing and regulating notaries public in
Hong Kong, it is considered that the best way forward is
to establish some form of self-regulatory system, similar
to that of the two legal professional bodies, he said.
The main features of the proposal, contained in the
Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 1998 in the gazette
today, are as follows:
* the appointing authority for notaries in Hong Kong
will be the Chief Justice;
* membership of the Hong Kong Society of Notaries
will be compulsory for practising notaries and optional
for non-practising notaries;
* the Chief Justice shall appoint a Notaries Public
Disciplinary Tribunal Panel from which the Notaries Public
Disciplinary Tribunal is to be set up; and
* rules and regulations dealing with admission,
conduct, discipline and removal of notaries will be made
by the Chief Justice, or by the Hong Kong Society of
Notaries subject to the approval of the Chief Justice,
where appropriate.
The Bill will be introduced into the Provisional
Legislative Council on February 11, 1998.
End
5. Bill to amend Building Management Ordinance gazetted
****************************************************
A bill which seeks to amend the Building Management
Ordinance to rectify its deficiencies was gazetted today
(Tuesday).
A spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau said the
Building Management (Amendment) Bill 1998 was introduced
to expressly empower owners' corporations (OCs) to carry
out renovation, improvement or decoration works to the
common parts of the buildings, and therefore helped
redress the problem of deterioration of older buildings in
Hong Kong.
The proposed amendments are in line with the
Government's policy that owners of private buildings are
collectively responsible for managing and maintaining
their buildings.
"The Government's policy is to encourage and
facilitate owners of private buildings to manage their
buildings effectively. In 1970, the Government enacted
the Multi-storey Buildings (Owners Incorporation)
Ordinance to provide a legal basis for private building
owners to form OCs and to manage their buildings," the
spokesman said.
"This ordinance was amended in 1993 and renamed the
Building Management Ordinance (BMO) which facilitates the
formation of OCs and extends the jurisdiction of the Lands
Tribunal to adjudicate building management matters."
With the implementation of the ordinance over the
past five years, several deficiencies have been
identified.
"In 1995, the High Court ruled that although OCs
could carry out maintenance works, they were not empowered
under the BMO to renovate or improve the common parts of
the buildings unless there was full consent from all the
owners," the spokesman said.
"This judgment gave rise to OCs' concern as usually
building repairs and maintenance works entail certain
degree of renovation and improvement. It is also
practically impossible for OCs to obtain unanimous
agreement among all owners before commencement of such
works. As a result, OCs have been reluctant to carry out
maintenance works, thereby allowing the buildings to
deteriorate and affecting the residents' safety and living
environment."
To address this problem, the BMO will be amended to
expressly empower the OCs to carry out renovation,
improvement or decoration works to the common parts,
facilities and installations of their buildings.
The spokesman said another amendment was to increase
the requisite percentage of owners' shares of objection to
the convening of a meeting of owners from 10 per cent to
30 per cent.
He noted that under the existing BMO, not less that
30 per cent of the owners' shares may apply to the
Authority who may then order that a meeting of owners
shall be convened to appoint a management committee for
the formation of an OC.
"However, the existing ordinance also states that the
order shall be nullified by objection from 10 per cent of
the owners' shares. This imbalance of 10 per cent of the
owners' shares overriding 30 per cent of the owners'
shares does not correspond with the Government's objective
of encouraging owners to form OCs.
"It is therefore proposed that the requisite owners'
shares of objection be raised to 30 per cent."
On the means of serving notices to owners concerning
the convening of meetings and resignation by the manager,
the spokesman said it was proposed that an additional
means of serving the notice, that is, by depositing the
notice in the letter box of the recipient, be specified in
the Ordinance.
"The existing BMO specifies that the serving can be
done personally upon the owners, by post addressed to the
owners, or by leaving the notice at the owners' flats. In
practice, it is not uncommon for the notice to be served
by placing it in the letter boxes of the buildings,
particularly in the case of housing estates," he
explained.
The Bill was approved by the Executive Council on
January 20 and will be introduced into the Provisional
Legislative Council on February 11.
End
6. CE's greeting card on Internet
******************************
The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, and Mrs Tung
have sent a Lunar New Year greeting card to the people of
Hong Kong via the Internet.
Internet users can gain access to the card by the
following addresses: "http://www.info.gov.hk/ce/ce-c.htm"
for the message in Chinese and
"http://www.info.gov.hk/ce/ce.htm" for the message in
English.
End
7. Update on avian flu
*******************
The Department of Health (DH) announced today
(Tuesday) that there was no new case of influenza A (H5N1)
today.
The total number of cases stands at 18 confirmed
cases.
The conditions of these cases remain the same as of
January 16.
End
8. External trade figures for December 1997
****************************************
In December 1997, the value of Hong Kong's re-
exports, domestic exports and imports all registered year-
on-year increases.
These are shown in the external trade figures for
December 1997 released today (Tuesday) by the Census and
Statistics Department.
The value of total exports (comprising re-exports and
domestic exports) in December 1997 increased by 6.7% over
a year earlier to $124.4 billion. Within this total, the
value of re-exports increased by 7.4% to $105.7 billion,
while the value of domestic exports increased by 2.8% to
$18.7 billion.
The value of imports increased by 4.9% over a year
earlier to $137.8 billion in December 1997.
A visible trade deficit of $13.4 billion, equivalent
to 9.7% of the value of imports, was recorded for December
1997. This was smaller than the corresponding deficit of
$14.7 billion, equivalent to 11% of the value of imports,
in December 1996.
For 1997 as a whole, the value of total exports
increased by 4.2% over 1996. Within this total, the value
of re-exports rose by 5%, while the value of domestic
exports decreased by 0.4%. The value of imports
registered an increase of 5.2%. A visible trade deficit
of $159.1 billion, equivalent to 9.9% of the value of
imports, was recorded. This was larger than the deficit
of $137.7 billion, equivalent to 9% of the value of
imports, recorded in 1996.
Commenting on the latest trade statistics, a
Government Secretariat spokesman noted that the values of
both re-exports and domestic exports showed a faster year-
on-year growth in December 1997 than in the preceding
month. For 1997 as a whole, the value of total exports
registered a moderate growth, similar to that in 1996.
Taking into account the continued easing in export prices
in 1997, total exports were likely to have grown slightly
faster in real terms in 1997 than in 1996. Concurrently,
retained imports slowed down further in December 1997.
The spokesman also pointed out that the visible trade
deficit largely followed a narrowing trend in recent
months. The ratio of the deficit to the total value of
imports came down to 7.4% in the second half of 1997, from
13% in the first half.
A more detailed analysis of Hong Kong's external
trade for December 1997, by commodity and
country/territory, will be released in mid-February 1998.
End
9. Tender invites for ferry service licences
*****************************************
The Transport Department today (Tuesday) invited
interested parties to apply for licences to operate three
ferry services for outlying islands.
The routes offered for tender include:
* Package one -- ferry services among Tung Chung,
Sha Lo Wan and Tai O;
* Package two -- ferry services among Aberdeen, Pak
Kok Tsuen and Yung Shue Wan; and
* Package three -- ferry services between Central
(Queen's Pier) and Pak Kok Tsuen.
Tenderers may apply for the operation of one, two or
all three of the packaged routes.
Details of the tender invitation were published in
the Government Gazette today.
Tender documents and further particulars are
obtainable during office hours from the Ferry and
Paratransit Branch of the department, Room 4015,
Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Tenders must be duly completed, sealed and marked
with "Application for Ferry Service Licence in respect of
Tendered Ferry Route Gazetted on January 27, 1998".
They must be placed in the Transport Department
Tender Box at the reception counter of the department's
headquarters, 41st Floor, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester
Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong on or before noon on February
27, 1998.
Late submissions will not be accepted.
End
10. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
*******************************************
Tender date : 27 January 1998
Paper on offer : EF Bills
Issue number : Q168
Issue date : 2 February 1998
Maturity date : 25 February 1998
Amount applied : HK$9,830 MN
Amount allotted : HK$5,000 MN
Average yield accepted : 7.19 PCT
Highest yield accepted : 7.80 PCT
Pro rata ratio : About 80 PCT
Average tender yield : 7.60 PCT
- - - - -
Tender date : 27 January 1998
Paper on offer : EF Bills
Issue number : Q804
Issue date : 2 February 1998
Maturity date : 29 April 1998
Amount applied : HK$4,890 MN
Amount allotted : HK$2,000 MN
Average yield accepted : 8.91 PCT
Highest yield accepted : 9.10 PCT
Pro rata ratio : About 96 PCT
Average tender yield : 9.24 PCT
- - - - -
Tender date : 27 January 1998
Paper on offer : EF Bills
Issue number : H856
Issue date : 2 February 1998
Maturity date : 29 July 1998
Amount applied : HK$2,750 MN
Amount allotted : HK$1,000 MN
Average yield accepted : 9.96 PCT
Highest yield accepted : 10.05 PCT
Pro rata ratio : About 40 PCT
Average tender yield : 10.31 PCT
End
