Daily Information Bulletin
Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777




Thursday, February 12, 1998



CONTENTS
========
1.  CE's transcript
2.  Commission on Strategic Development holds first meeting
3.  Two lots sold for $101.6 million at land auction
4.  LegCo election nomination details announced
5.  Provisional elector registers ready for inspection
6.  New arrangements for the warning of heavy rain
7.  ED response on the resignation of Prof Cheng
8.  Update on avian flu
9.  HK still the best place for business
10. SHW visits rehabilitation facilities
11. Trade director to attend APEC Senior Officials Meeting
12. Grants from Disaster Relief Fund for snowstorm victims
13. Sufficient support services to the needy essential
14. Mrs Betty Tung visits two maximum security prisons
15. Prosperity of HK port to continue: PDB Chairman
16. Public Records Office to manage Government Film Archive



1.  CE's transcript
    ***************

     Following is the transcript (English) of the remarks
made by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, after
attending the Strategic Development Commission meeting
today (Thursday):

     We just had the first meeting of the Strategic
Development Commission.  We had a very good meeting, very
useful exchange of views.  The purpose of the Commission
is really to take a long term look at how Hong Kong is to
move forward, how we are going to be able to maintain our
economic vitality, how we are going to maintain our
competitiveness.  We paid particular attention of our
major overseas partners as to how they are moving in the
longer term; what are their trends, mega trends,
particularly.  Additionally, we will be looking closely at
how to work with our own country, with mainland China, in
economic, industrial and commercial sectors to enhance
each other's competitiveness and to improve our benefit
for each other.  And we will meet once every six weeks to
eight weeks and we had a very good meeting.

End


2.  Commission on Strategic Development holds first meeting
    *******************************************************

     The newly-established Commission on Strategic
Development held its first meeting today (Thursday).

     The meeting followed the appointment of the
Commission by the Chief Executive on January 16, 1998.

     "At the meeting, members discussed the scope of work
of the Commission.  The Commission will conduct reviews
and studies on a wide range of issues affecting Hong
Kong's long term development to ensure that our limited
resources will be well-used, that Hong Kong can keep up
with world trends in competitive terms and maintain the
vitality of its economic development.  The issues will
include such areas as economy, human resources, education,
housing, land and environmental protection, as well as co-
operation with the Mainland.  For this purpose, a team of
Consultants will be engaged to draw up and assess long
term scenarios for deliberation by the Commission," a
government spokesman said.

     "The Commission will keep in view the development
trends of Hong Kong's major markets, and the impact and
opportunities they hold for Hong Kong.

     "In co-ordination with the work of the Commission,
the relevant Policy Bureaux will conduct studies on
individual policy areas.  Long-term development strategies
or policies arising from these studies will be submitted
to the Executive Council.

     "Also discussed at its first Meeting are the modus
operandi of the Commission and dates of future meetings.
The Commission will meet every six to eight weeks.  The
next meeting is scheduled for end of April," the spokesman
added.

     On the membership, the spokesman said: "The Chief
Executive is grateful for the participation of such
prominent members of our community in the work of the
Commission.  The Commission will benefit from their
expertise and advice."

     The following is the membership of the Commission on
Strategic Development:

Chairman
--------
*  The Chief Executive

Members
-------
*  The Chief Secretary for Administration
*  The Financial Secretary
*  Dr the Honourable S Y Chung, GBM, JP
*  The Honourable Cheng Yiu-tong
*  Dr Victor Fung Kwok-king, CBE
*  Mr Victor Li Tzar-kuoi
*  Dr York Liao
*  Mr Liu Jinbao
*  Professor Liu Pak-wai
*  Mr Peter Sutch, CBE
*  Mr Peter Wong Hong-yuen, JP
*  Professor Chia-Wei Woo
*  Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, KCMG

End


3.  Two lots sold for $101.6 million at land auction
    ************************************************

     Two government lots were sold for a total of $101.6
million at a public auction held by the Lands Department
this (Thursday) afternoon.

     The first one, Sha Tin Town Lot No. 318, is a 4,133-
square-metre site at Mei Wo Circuit, Area 41A, Sha Tin.
It was bought by The Light Corporation Limited for $90
million.  The opening bid was $38 million.

     The developer has to complete a gross floor area of
not less than 979 square metres on or before March 31,
2001.

     The lot is designated for private residential
purposes, excluding service apartments.

     The second lot, with an area of 88.2 square metres,
is Sha Tin Town Lot No. 468 at Chik Fu Street, Tai Wai,
and was sold to New Foundation Development Limited for
$11.6 million, with bidding opened at $4.5 million.

     The developer has to complete a gross floor area of
not less than 217 square metres on or before March 31,
2001.  The lot is intended for non-industrial purposes,
excluding godown and service apartments.

     The auction was conducted by Government Land Agent,
Mr Alexander Paton, in the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong
Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui.

End


4.  LegCo election nomination details announced
    *******************************************

     The nomination period for the Legislative Council
elections for geographical constituencies, functional
constituencies and the Election Committee in May will run
from April 9 to 24.

     As for the subsector elections on April 2 to form the
800-member Election Committee, prospective candidates may
submit nomination forms from March 13 to 20.  Designated
bodies of the Religious subsector responsible for
proposing nominees must return their nomination forms
within the same period.

     Details are set out in five notices to be gazetted
tomorrow (Friday).

     Nomination forms will be available from the relevant
Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officers of the
respective constituency/subsector and the Registration and
Electoral Office, 10th floor, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour
Road, Wan Chai shortly before the commencement of the
nomination period.

     Completed forms must be handed in to the relevant
Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officers by a
nominee in person, and in the case of geographical
constituencies, by one of the nominees on a list, during
ordinary business hours in the nomination period.

     Speaking at a press conference, the chairman of the
Electoral Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing,
said that free legal advice would be made available to
prospective candidates from next Monday (February 16) if
they had doubts about their eligibility for nomination.

     "The Commission has appointed two senior counsels,
Mr Lawrence Lok Ying-kam and Mr Wong Ching-yue, and two
barristers, Mr Ho Bing-kwan and Mr Ronald H B Tang, each
as a Nominations Advisory Committee from February 16 to
April 28 to provide this service," he said.

     The appointment, made under the Electoral Affairs
Commission (Nominations Advisory Committees) Regulation,
will be gazetted tomorrow.

     "The service will also be offered to designated
bodies of the Religious subsector," he said.

     Prospective nominees for the subsector elections and
designated bodies of the Religious subsector may apply for
advice from February 16 to March 12.

     People intending to contest the general election on
May 24 may apply for legal advice from February 16 to
April 8.

     Applications should be made in a specified form and
lodged with the Chief Electoral Officer on the 27th floor,
Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, in person, by
post or by facsimile (2802 8767 or 2802 4580).  Forms are
available from the same place or on the 10th floor,
Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road.  Enquiries may be made on
telephone 2582 6050.

     In addition, the Nominations Advisory Committees will
give advice to Returning Officers to ensure consistency in
their decisions on the validity of nominations.  They can
seek advice from the start of nomination up to one day
after nomination closes.

     Mr Justice Woo said that the appointment of 25
Returning Officers and 51 Assistant Returning Officers for
the May elections would also be gazetted tomorrow.

     Twenty Returning Officers and 20 Assistant Returning
Officers have been appointed for the Election Committee
subsector elections.

     A Deputy Director of Home Affairs has been designated
as the Chief Returning Officer for both the April and May
elections, he added.

End


5.  Provisional elector registers ready for inspection
    **************************************************

     Members of the public who have signed up as electors
for this year's Legislative Council elections are invited
to check their registration particulars in the 1998
provisional registers, which will be published tomorrow
(Friday).

     Omissions lists containing the names of former
electors who are no longer eligible to be included in the
registers will also be published for public inspection.

     "Anybody who has registered as an elector should take
a look at the registers in the coming week to ensure that
his name is included," the Chairman of the Electoral
Affairs Commission, Mr Justice Woo Kwok-hing, told a press
conference.

     "This will be his last chance to make sure that he
may take part in the first Legislative Council elections
of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," he said.

     "Members of the public will have up to next Saturday
(February 21) to raise objections, make claims or request
for corrections regarding any entry on the registers or
the omissions lists," he added.

     Cases of objections and claims will be referred to
one of the eight Revising Officers, who are members of the
Judiciary, for determination before February 28.  Their
decisions will be reflected in the final registers to be
published before mid-March.

     The provisional register for geographical
constituencies shows that the total electorate has
increased by 264,000, from 2.531 million to 2.795 million.

     The figure is the result of an addition of 307,000
new electors and the deletion of 43,000 former electors
who are no longer eligible to remain on the register.  A
total of 341,000 electors' records have been updated in
this voter registration exercise, mainly involving changes
of address.

     "That means about 70 per cent of the potential
electors may go to the polls on May 24," he said.

     The distribution of electors in the five geographical
constituencies is:

     Hong Kong Island              596,219

     Kowloon West                  411,429

     Kowloon East                  483,949

     New Territories West          708,420

     New Territories East          595,233

     According to the provisional register for the 28
functional constituencies, the electorate totals 139,000,
representing about 60 per cent of the potential electors.
About 127,000 of them are individuals while the remaining
12,000 are corporate electors.  About 10,000 authorised
representatives have been appointed.

     As for the 35 Election Committee subsectors, more
than 139,000 people have registered as voters.  This
represents a registration rate of about 57 per cent.
Among them, about 127,000 are individuals and the
remaining 12,000 are corporate voters.  More than 10,000
authorised representatives have been appointed.

     The provisional register for the geographical
constituencies is available for inspection at:

     *  the Registration and Electoral Office, 10th floor,
Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; and

     *  18 District Offices (that part of the register
relevant to the district)

     The provisional registers for the functional
constituencies and the Election Committee subsectors are
placed at:

     *  The Registration and Electoral Office, 10th floor,
Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, and 10th floor,
Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai; and

     *  Five District Offices in Central and Western, Yau
Tsim Mong, Kwun Tong, Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan.

     Any person who wishes to inspect the registers is
required to fill in a form and show his identity card.  A
registered elector may call hotline 2891 1001 or make
enquiries via fax (2891 1180) to check his own
registration particulars.

     Objections or claims must be lodged by February 21 in
a specified form in person at the office of the Electoral
Registration Officer, 10th floor, Harbour Centre, Wan
Chai, or 10th floor, Guardian House, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan
Chai.

     "Using any information in the registers for non-
election related purposes or any misuse is an offence
punishable with a maximum fine of $5,000 and imprisonment
for six months," Mr Justice Woo said.

End


6.  New arrangements for the warning of heavy rain
    **********************************************

     New arrangements for the warning of heavy rain,
including a revised rainstorm warning system, the
termination of the flood warning, and the introduction of
special announcements on flooding in the northern New
Territories, will be implemented for the coming rain
season, the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Dr H K
Lam, announced today (Thursday).  The new arrangements
will come into effect on March 23 1998.

     All organisations and companies whose operations are
affected by heavy rain are advised to review their
internal procedures now and modify them as necessary in
the light of these coming changes to the weather warning
system.  The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory also
takes the opportunity to remind information services
providers such as paging and telephone companies that they
should take note of these changes and adjust their
services to customers accordingly.

     Following a series of rainstorms in the summer of
1997, an inter-departmental working party was set up to
study what could be done to improve the warning of heavy
rain and related matters.  The new arrangements represent
the result of collaborative efforts by relevant government
departments to meet the changing needs of the society.

     In the existing rainstorm warning system, Red and
Black signals are issued to the public only after heavy
rain has fallen and exceeded prescribed levels.  There is
also an Amber signal used as an early alert for Government
departments with special responsibilities during
rainstorms.  A Flood Warning signal is typically issued
ahead of the Red or Black signals.

     The revised system has the following new features:

     (a)  The Amber signal will be issued to the public as
an early alert to flooding in low-lying areas and possible
heavy rain generally.  The flood warning will no longer be
issued.

     (b)  The Red and Black signals may be issued before
the prescribed rainfall levels for those signals are
reached, to warn of imminent rainstorms.

     (c)  As there is a special need to alert people to
flooding in the low-lying plains of the northern New
Territories, a special announcement will be issued and
broadcast over radio and television whenever heavy rain
affects that area.

     The Hong Kong Observatory emphasised that, as
rainstorms are  extremely difficult to forecast and may
develop very quickly, it will not always be possible to
issue signals, particularly the Red and Black signals,
well in advance of heavy rain.

     On school attendance in heavy rain situations, the
Director of Education said that the safety of students
would be the primary consideration.  The Department is
working out detailed arrangements under the new warning
system and will announce such arrangements soon.

     During heavy rain situations, members of the public
may call Education Department at 2892 6193-6 for
information about school attendance.  For an update on the
state of weather warnings they may call the Observatory's
dial-a-weather service at 1878 200 (Cantonese) and
1878 066 (English), or the Observatory's internet homepage
(http://www.info.gov.hk/hko/).

     Details of the revised rainstorm warning system are
as follows:

     There are three levels of warning: Amber, Red and
Black.

     The Amber rainstorm warning signal will be issued
when heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall
generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 30 millimetres in an
hour.  There will be flooding in some low-lying and poorly
drained areas.  Members of the public are advised to pay
attention to weather changes as these might lead to Red or
Black signal situations.

     The Red rainstorm warning signal will be issued when
heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally
over Hong Kong, exceeding 50 millimetres in an hour, and
is likely to continue.  It means that the heavy rain could
cause serious road flooding, and people who have to travel
should carefully consider the weather and road conditions.

     The Black rainstorm warning signal will be issued
when very heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall
generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 70 millimetres in an
hour, and is likely to continue.  It means that there is
serious road flooding and weather conditions are
inclement.  People should take shelter in a safe place.

     When prolonged rain occurs, the signals may also be
issued even if the specified hourly rainfall levels are
not breached.

     In case heavy rain develops suddenly, a Red signal
may be issued without being preceded by Amber.  Also, a
Black signal may not be preceded by Red.

End


7.  ED response on the resignation of Prof Cheng
    ********************************************

     In response to media enquiries on the resignation of
Prof K M Cheng from the Council on Professional Conduct in
Education (CPC), the Director of Education, Mrs Helen C P
Lai Yu, said today (Thursday):

     "I received Prof Cheng's letter of resignation this
afternoon.

     "He has given as reasons for his resignation:

     -  difficulties since inception from limited terms of
reference;

     -  recent rejection of a proposed visit to Scotland;
and

     -  grounds for co-operation with our department.

Let me clarify our position.

     "The terms of reference of the CPC are laid down by
the Education Commission Report No.5 (ECR5) as follows:

     -  to advise the Government on measures to promote
professional conduct in education;

     -  to draft operational criteria defining the conduct
expected of an educator and to gain widespread acceptance
of these criteria among all sectors of the education
community; and

     -  to advise the Director of Education on cases of
dispute or alleged professional misconduct involving
educators.

     "The ECR5 was the subject of public consultation.

     "As to the proposed trip to Scotland, the Registrar
of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, Mr Ivor
Sutherland, was in Hong Kong for one week in 1997 on the
invitation of CPC.

     "The trip was funded by the Education Department.

     "During his stay in Hong Kong, Mr Sutherland shared
his experience with teachers, education workers and
organisations through a series of seminars and meetings.

     "Prof Cheng also mentioned the setting up of a
General Teaching Council in Hong Kong.

     "The Chief Executive has announced in his Policy
Address in October 1997 to set up a General Teaching
Council, a professional body for teachers, within two
years.  The Government is undertaking preparatory work on
this basis, and is confident that the target date set by
the CE will be met.

     "My colleagues and I are grateful to Prof Cheng for
his time and counsel as member, and leadership as
Chairman, during his terms of office on CPC.  I have
written to Prof Cheng to ask that he reconsiders his
decision.

     "We respect the CPCE and appreciate its advice."

End


8.  Update on avian flu
    *******************

     The Department of Health (DH) announced today
(Thursday) that there were no new cases 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
February 10.

End


9.  HK still the best place for business
    ************************************

     Hong Kong is still recognised as the best place for
profitable business opportunities in Asia, the Director-
General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in
London, Mr John Tsang, said today (Thursday).

     Mr Tsang was speaking at a luncheon for business
executives in Glasgow, Scotland jointly organised by the
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office and the China-Britain
Trade Group.

     Mr Tsang said that although Hong Kong was swept up in
the Asian financial turmoil and our prices are a bit
higher than those offered by our neighbours, the overall
package of what Hong Kong has to offer remains very
attractive, without any hidden costs whatsoever.

     Mr Tsang said that while countries across the region
try to find their feet in the aftermath of the Asian
financial crisis, Hong Kong, like other externally
oriented economies, will have to adjust to the new
conditions around us.

     "But economic downturn for us does not mean cutting
back automatically on services or infrastructural
developments and increasing taxes and cost of doing
business," he said.

     Following the opening of Hong Kong's new airport at
Chek Lap Kok on July 6, the Special Administrative Region
will continue to embark upon a hugely ambitious programme
of infrastructure developments costing 27.4 billion pounds
sterling (HK$350 billion) in the next five years.

     On the social side, Hong Kong will be spending 1.7
billion pounds sterling (HK$22 billion) over the next five
years on basic improvements to our education system, with
an emphasis on language instruction, in both Chinese and
English.

     "To lift the downturn in the tourism industry, which
can be attributed to post-1997 fatigue exacerbated by the
economic situation in the region, we are dedicating a 7.8
million pounds sterling (HK$100 million) International
Events Fund to help promote Hong Kong as the Events
Capital of Asia," Mr Tsang said.

     He said those who know Hong Kong will know that its
recent history has been one of facing adversity squarely
and responding to changes creatively.

     "The spirit of entrepreneurial initiative and
willingness to work hard, which were indispensable to our
past successes, remain undiminished today.

     "The present adjustment process may be inconvenient
and awkward in the short term, but we have every
confidence that it would lead to Hong Kong rebounding
sooner and coming back in a stronger position," said
Mr Tsang.

End


10. SHW visits rehabilitation facilities
    ************************************

     The Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine
Fok, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to facilitate
people with a disability to integrate into the community
and to ensure that they share the same opportunities as
their fellow citizens.

     She made the pledge during visits to rehabilitation
facilities in Kwun Tong which cater for ex-mental patients
and physically handicapped persons this (Thursday)
afternoon.

     Mrs Fok first drove to the Kwun Tong Amity Club of
the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong.  The centre,
with a capacity of 250, provides training in work
activities and domestic skills and other services
including counselling, social and recreational activities
to discharged mental patients.

     She then went to the Hong Kong Multi-service Building
in Kung Lok Road which houses the Jockey Club Mental
Health Association.  The building accommodates 240 day
service places and 130 residential service places for
disabled persons.

     In the last leg of the visit, the Secretary was
briefed on the services provided by the Kai Yip Workshop
of the Hong Kong Federation of Handicapped Youth.  The
workshop is engaged in assembling parts of watches and
producing souvenir watches and clocks.  Its target group
is physically handicapped persons.

End


11. Trade director to attend APEC Senior Officials Meeting
    ******************************************************

     The Director-General of Trade, Mr Alan Lai, will lead
the Hong Kong, China delegation to attend the First Senior
Official Meeting (SOM I) in 1998 of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) to be held on February 16 and
17 in Penang, Malaysia.

     The Hong Kong, China delegation will comprise
officials from the Trade and Industry Bureau, the Economic
Services Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau, the Customs and
Excise Department, the Government Supplies Department, the
Immigration Department, the Industry Department and the
Trade Department.

     Preceding SOM I, senior officials will gather for a
retreat on February 14 and 15 for an informal exchange of
ideas and priorities of themes for the APEC this year.

     At SOM I, senior officials will consider how to take
forward instructions from APEC Economic Leaders and
Ministers set out at their meetings held in Vancouver,
Canada in November 1997.

     Major issues include early voluntary sectoral
liberalisation and other trade and investment
liberalisation and facilitation issues; terms of reference
of the SOM Sub-committee on Economic and Technical
Cooperation; public-private sector partnership in
infrastructure development; APEC agenda on Science and
Technology Industry Cooperation; and electronic commerce.

     A number of committee/sub-committee meetings will be
held after SOM I.  These include the Committee on Trade
and Investment, Economic Committee, Sub-committee on Customs
Procedures, Sub-committee on Standards and Conformance,
Investment Experts Group, Government Procurement Experts
Group, Market Access Group, Group on Services and
Infrastructure Workshop, and Joint Fora Meeting.

     This is the first SOM under the Malaysian APEC
chairmanship.  The second SOM will be held in Kuching in
June before the Trade Ministers Meeting.  The third SOM
will be held in Kuantan, Pahang in September and the APEC
Ministerial and Economic Leaders Meetings will be held in
Kuala Lumpur in November 1998.

     Member economies of APEC are Australia; Brunei
Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Hong Kong, China;
Indonesia; Japan; South Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New
Zealand; Papua New Guinea; the Philippines; Singapore;
Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and the United States.

     APEC Economic Leaders agreed at their meeting in
Vancouver last November to admit Russia, Peru and Vietnam
as new members of the APEC effective in 1998.  These three
members-designate will attend APEC meetings as observers
until they are officially admitted at the APEC Ministerial
Meeting to be held in November 1998.

End


12. Grants from Disaster Relief Fund for snowstorm victims
    ******************************************************

     The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee has
approved a grant of $2.6 million to Oxfam Hong Kong and
another of $3.5 million to World Vision Hong Kong for
emergency relief for the snowstorm victims in Qinghai
Province in the Mainland.

     The Committee is concerned about the hardship
suffered by the victims and hopes that the two grants
could help provide some immediate relief.

     To ensure that the money will be used for the purpose
designated, the Government has required the two agencies
concerned to submit an evaluation report and an audited
account on the use of their grants.

     The Committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary for
Administration, Mrs Anson Chan.  Members are Dr the Hon
Raymond Ch'ien, the Hon Yang Ti-liang, the Hon Elsie Tu,
the Hon Ngan Kam-chuen, Mr Norman Leung, Ms Sansan Ching,
the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok,
and the Secretary for the Treasury, Mr K C Kwong.

End


13. Sufficient support services to the needy essential
    **************************************************

     To provide service to those in need, promote the
spirit of care and share, consolidate the value of family,
and assist individuals and family members to undertake
their responsibility have been the mission of the Social
Welfare Department since its establishment 40 years ago.

     Addressing the opening ceremony of a symposium which
marks the first of a series of programmes celebrating the
department's 40th anniversary this (Thursday) morning, the
Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, said
that since its founding in 1958, the Social Welfare
Department had kept in pace with the development of the
Hong Kong community and had provided the social services
required by the people of Hong Kong.

     "Facing the rapid global development in politics,
economics and technology, Hong Kong will experience
changes in its way heading towards the 21st century," she
said, stressing that the provision of sufficient
supportive service was essential to families, individuals
and family carers of the elderly or young children.

     She recalled that in the 1970's, the department
started to provide diversified services and introduced the
social work profession with the purpose of improving the
quality of social service provision.

     In the 1980's, the scope of the service provision was
expanded to include implementing regionalised management
and providing comprehensive services for the sick, the
disadvantaged, the elderly and the young.

     By the 1990's, all services were becoming well-
established.  The Social Welfare Department puts in much
effort to develop a holistic approach by providing
preventive, developmental, supportive and remedial
services for those in need.  Its service programmes also
include family and child welfare, youth and community
development, elderly, rehabilitation, medical social
service and social security, etc.

     Mrs Fok noted that the department also helped the new
arrivals to integrate into the community and advocates
community involvement through the promotion of
volunteerism.  And to cope with the needs of the ageing
population, community and residential services are
provided with a view to achieving the goal of "ageing in
place, care in community".

     She praised the staff of the department for their
hard work in promoting social welfare services.  "In face
of the very heavy workload, they are still enthusiastic
and full of vigour.  Their devotion and spirit of serving
the community is indeed praiseworthy," she added.

     Today's Symposium, entitled "Families in the 21st
Century - Values, Challenges and Opportunities", was
attended by distinguished overseas and local scholars.

     Other programmes to be organised during the year will
include an Opportunities for Volunteers Scheme, Award for
Outstanding Family Carers of People with a Disability,
Family Carnival, Best Customer Service Unit Election and
Puppet Show for Family.

End


14. Mrs Betty Tung visits two maximum security prisons
    **************************************************

     Mrs Betty Tung today (Thursday) visited Tai Lam
Centre for Women (TLCW) and Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre to
see the operation and management of two maximum security
prisons.

     Accompanied by the Commissioner of Correctional
Services, Mr Raymond Lai Ming-kee, Mrs Tung was briefed by
the Senior Superintendent of Tai Lam, Mr Poon Wing-hong;
on the overcrowded situation at TLCW, which at present
stands at over 50 per cent of its certified accommodation
of 278.

     Mrs Tung was then taken on a tour of the institution
to see the various rehabilitation programmes provided by
the department for offenders.  She toured workshops,
classrooms, the kitchen, the hospital and the hair-
dressing salon.

     Mrs Tung also visited the specially designed room for
children to see their mothers who are serving sentences at
TLCW.

     At Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre, Mrs Tung was briefed
by Senior Superintendent, Mr Wong Wai-man; on the unique
features of the centre which takes in both male and female
inmates in separate sections.  The maximum security
institution provides treatment for offenders who suffer
from psychiatric illness.

     Mrs Tung toured hospital wards for female prisoners,
the long-term ward and the Occupational Therapy Unit of
the Centre, where she was briefed by the clinical
psychologist and consultant psychiatrist on the services
provided for patients.

End


15. Prosperity of HK port to continue: PDB Chairman
    ***********************************************

     Hong Kong has always lived with change and challenge,
and with careful planning we can look forward to an era of
continuing prosperity for the port of Hong Kong, according
to the Chairman of the Port Development Board, Mr Peter
Thompson.

     In the foreword of the newly published 1996/97 Annual
Report of the Port Development Board, Mr Peter Thompson
said: "We are now firmly established as the new Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of
China.  My colleagues on the Board and I are all fully
confident that the new era will open up new and
challenging opportunities for the port, both now and well
into the next century."

     Mr Thompson noted that one of the most significant
developments in 1996/97 was the decision to move ahead
with Container Terminal 9 (CT9).  The agreement reached
among the parties selected to build and operate the new
terminal included a programme to rationalise the ownership
of the existing berths of Container Terminals 1 to 8.

     "The rationalisation programme, together with the
completion of CT9 in the early 2000s, will expand
substantially the handling capacity of the Kwai Chung
container port by over 2.6 million TEUs (Twenty-foot
Equivalent Units).  The new facilities and larger handling
capacity will better enable the terminal operators to
handle the new generation of larger container vessels, and
to meet the needs of the shipping alliances," Mr Thompson
said.

     The Hong Kong port handled 14.5 million TEUs of
containers in 1997, maintaining its position as the
world's busiest container port for six years in a row.
The container port throughput is forecast to increase by 7
per cent, reaching 15.5 million TEUs in 1998.

     Noting that work continued on both the new River
Trade Terminal at Tuen Mun and on the Permanent Mid-stream
Facility at Stonecutters Island, with both facilities due
to come into operation in 1998, Mr Thompson said: "Hong
Kong is thus well equipped with these different modes of
container-handling to move into the next century and to
handle the ever-increasing volume of containers moving
through our port."

     The River Trade Terminal in particular is a new
concept to develop the Pearl River Delta waterways as the
water highways for carrying containers between Hong Kong
and the many delta ports in Southern China.

     Mr Thompson said the Port Development Board was
mindful of the changes taking place in the shipping
industry itself: the increasing size of vessels, the
formation of large consortia, and the new demands that
they would make on the port of Hong Kong.

     The Board would monitor closely these developments
and advise the Government on a port development strategy
to respond to such changes, he concluded.

End


16. Public Records Office to manage Government Film Archive
    *******************************************************

     The Government Film Archive, currently operated by
the Information Services Department (ISD), will be
transferred to the Public Records Office on March 2, 1998
(Monday).

     In preparation for the removal, the VHS tape lending
service from the ISD Film Archive will be suspended from
next Monday (February 16).

     The Film Archive houses over 80 films on the history
and other aspects of Hong Kong.  While most of the films
were produced in the 1960's and 70's, the earliest
production dates back to the mid-1950's.

     The collection covers a wide range of interesting
subjects and events of Hong Kong including early film of
the Hong Kong Festival, Dragon Boat Races and the Bun
Festival as well as visits by members of the British Royal
family and other officials.  The government's previous
work on fighting corruption, disease prevention,
developing new towns and building multi-storey housing
estates to resettle tens of thousands of refugees are
documented.

     A government spokesman said that in view of the
nature of the archive material, it was more appropriate
for it to be managed by the Public Records Office, which
is the central repository for the government's permanent
archives.

     The Film Archive will be relocated to the Hong Kong
Public Records Building on the first floor, 13 Tsui Ping
Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon.  The VHS lending service will be
resumed on a date to be announced by the Public Records
Office.

End






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