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



Monday, March 23, 1998



CONTENTS
========
1.  Opening statement by SJ at PLC special panel meeting
2.  1,098 valid nominations for Election Committee
3.  Government departments ready for the rain season
4.  Secretary for Justice to visit Beijing
5.  Consumer price indices for February 1998
6.  EC discusses the academic structure's review framework
7.  Update on cholera
8.  Consultancy study on future development of HK banking sector
9.  More sites joined Considerate Contractors Site Award Scheme
10. Footpath adjacent to Tempo Court reopens
11. Provisional statistics of retail sales for January 1998
12. March issue of HK Monthly Digest of Statistics
13. Mail services to Burundi back to normal
14. Water storage figure



1.  Opening statement by SJ at PLC special panel meeting
    ****************************************************

     Following is the opening statement by the Secretary
for Justice, Ms Elsie Leung, at a special meeting held by
the Provisional Legislative Council Panel on
Administration of Justice and Legal Services today
(Monday):

Mr Chairman,

     I welcome this opportunity to explain in public the
prosecution policy of my department.  I propose to explain
the role of the Secretary for Justice as the public
prosecutor in Hong Kong and how that role is discharged in
the public interest.  I will also discuss the extent to
which I am accountable for prosecution decisions.

I.  Decision-making

     I have working under me, as head of the Prosecutions
Division, the Director of Public Prosecutions.  It is the
use of the word "public" that underscores a fundamental
truth and it is this - that the prosecutor serves the
interests of the general public of Hong Kong.

Independence

     This principle is of paramount importance to the rule
of law and the criminal justice system in Hong Kong.
First of all, the Secretary for Justice, as public
prosecutor, is not the servant or the tool of the
Government of the HKSAR.  It is a key feature and has long
been so regarded in our legal system that, as an essential
safeguard for the fair, unbiased administration of the
criminal law, the Attorney General in the past, and
Secretary for Justice now, should not be subject to the
direction and control of the Government and must jealously
guard that independence in the same way as the Judiciary.
So that when newspapers say the Government has prosecuted
such and such a person, that is inaccurate and misleading.
The Government prosecutes no one, or it has no
responsibility for prosecution.  All prosecutions are
brought quite independently of the Government.  So that
when it is claimed that a particular prosecution has been
brought, or not brought, for "political motives" implying
that the Secretary for Justice has been told whom to
prosecute or not to prosecute, I have to tell you that
that is completely untrue.  This principle is, I repeat,
of fundamental importance to our system of justice, and
that importance has been recognised in Article 63 of the
Basic Law, which guarantees that prosecutions will be
brought free from interference.

     A second aspect of independence which I believe is
also of crucial importance is the independence of the
prosecutor from the Police and other law enforcement
bodies.  The concept that the prosecutor should also be in
charge of the criminal investigation is one that is wholly
foreign to our legal system, although the law enforcement
bodies are always entitled to seek legal advice during the
course of an investigation if they feel that would be
helpful.  The role of the Police and ICAC is, among
others, to investigate the commission of criminal offences
and to apprehend those whom they think are wrong doers.
Once the investigation is complete, the prosecutor takes
over to conduct the proceedings, to review the situation
and to decide whether or not there would be a prosecution
at all and if so then to have the conduct of it.  The
prosecutor is not acting on behalf of the Police or ICAC
in taking this decision, not on behalf of the Government,
but on behalf of the public.

     This separation of function ensures that the
prosecutor is able to bring an independent and objective
eye to the case prepared by the law enforcement body.  He
is able to assess the evidence that has been collected by
it and to decide whether it is in the public interest that
a prosecution should be brought.

Factors in the decision-making

     What are the factors that the prosecutor has before
him or her in deciding whether a prosecution should be
launched?  These are set out in the booklet, 'Prosecution
Policy: Guidance for Crown Counsel' issued by the last
Attorney General in 1993.  The Director of Public
Prosecutions arranged in November 1997 for that document
to be revised and updated.  That guidance is being revised
for Government Counsel, but the fundamental principles
remain unchanged.  As the booklet points out, it is no
part of our system that just because there is what the
lawyers call a prima facie case against somebody that a
prosecution will always follow.  Over 40 years ago a
distinguished Attorney General in England, Sir Hartley
Shawcross said this:

"It has never been the rule in this country - I hope it
never will be - that suspected criminal offences must
automatically be the subject of prosecution."

And many years before that one of his predecessors, Sir
John Simon, said in the House of Commons that:

"There is no greater nonsense talked about the Attorney
General's duty than the suggestion that in all cases the
Attorney General ought to decide to prosecute merely
because he thinks there is what the lawyers call 'a case'.
It is not true, and no one who has held office has
supposed it is."

     Thus, the Secretary for Justice has a discretion.
What are the factors to be taken into account then when
deciding whether or not to prosecute in any particular
case?

Sufficiency of evidence

     First of all, there must be enough evidence to prove
all the elements of an offence.  This is not always easy
to determine, especially where an offence requires proof
of a state of mind or intention of which there is often
little or no direct evidence.  Even if there is evidence
that tends to prove the necessary ingredients of an
offence, a bare prima facie case is, generally speaking,
not enough to warrant a prosecution.  There must be a
reasonable prospect of securing a conviction because it is
not in the interests of public justice, nor of the public
revenue, that weak or borderline cases should be
prosecuted.

     In evaluating the evidence, the prosecutor must have
regard to such matters as admissibility of evidence, the
credibility of witnesses, conflict of evidence, the
impression witnesses are likely to make on a judge or a
jury, the lines of defence which are completely open to
the accused and so on.  The prosecutor will need to bear
many matters in mind, including the fact that evidence
which is admissible against one suspect may not be
admissible against another.  For example, if A makes a
confession statement that implicates B, that evidence is
admissible against A alone.  He must come back to the
question which is this: whether there is a reasonable
prospect of a conviction.  It is in the public interest
and in the interests of fairness to individuals that there
should not be a prosecution unless the prosecutor is able
to satisfy himself of this reasonable prospect.

     I have said that to warrant a prosecution, there must
be a reasonable prospect of securing a conviction.  A
"reasonable prospect" means that the prosecutor does not
need to satisfy himself with 100 per cent certainty that
the accused will be convicted.  The prosecutor makes his
decision to prosecute based on evidence presented to him.
The prosecutor himself does not interview the witnesses
except he may interview expert witnesses to get a better
understanding of their evidence.  It would be wrong for
the prosecutor to question the witnesses by conducting
some sort of mini-trial before the proper trial because
all trials should be held in a Court of Law, where the
guilt or innocence of an accused will be determined by the
judge, or in serious cases by a jury.  The consequences of
having a legal system with an independent Judiciary and
with the prosecutor not having to satisfy himself of 100
per cent certainty of conviction means that there will
inevitably be cases in which prosecutions will result in
acquittals.

     There may be many reasons for an acquittal.  A
prosecutor can work only on the material presented to him
and during the course of cross-examination the witness may
depart from his earlier testimony or may reveal matters
which he has not disclosed to the police.  There are, of
course, occasions where a witness absconds and if he is a
vital witness the case will suffer.

The Public Interest

     If the proposed prosecution survives this evidential
test, the prosecutor then has to turn to other criteria,
generally known as "the public interest criteria".  I
quote again from Sir Hartley Shawcross when he described
the guiding principle that however good the evidence is,
the prosecutor still has to be satisfied "that the offence
or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a
character that a prosecution in respect thereof is
required in the public interest.  That is still the
dominant consideration."  He continued by saying that
regard must be had "to the effect which the prosecution,
successful or unsuccessful as the case may be, would have
upon public morale and order, and with any other
considerations affecting public policy".

     There clearly cannot be hard and fast rules that
would dictate how to judge the public interest criteria.
But among some of the factors to be considered would be
these:

     *  What are the surrounding circumstances of the
offence?
     *  How serious was it?
     *  What were its practical effects?
     *  What extenuating circumstances are there?
     *  How would the decision to launch a prosecution
affect other people?
     *  How serious a view would a Court take of the
offence if there were a conviction?
     *  Would the consequences of prosecution be out of
all proportion to the seriousness of the offence or to the
penalty a Court would be likely to impose?
     *  How long ago was the offence committed and has the
accused himself attributed to the delay?
     *  Is the offender so young, or so old (and possibly
infirm) that a prosecution could cause disproportionate
harm?
     *  Is there a substantial risk that the strain of a
prosecution would seriously affect the condition of the
accused?
     *  Is it really in the public interest to proceed
against those who are only on the fringe of the offence as
well as the ring leaders?

     These are just some of the questions that a
prosecutor must ask himself in deciding whether a
prosecution is merited in the public interest.  If, after
weighing all these factors in the balance the case between
prosecution and non prosecution remains even, it can
properly be said that the final arbiter must be the court,
and the prosecution should proceed.

Public attitude and interest

     The prosecutor thus needs to take account of public
attitude and interests in a number of different ways and
at a number of different stages in a prosecution.  First,
in applying the evidential test system, he may have to
take a view of the probable reaction of a group of members
of the public, sitting as jurors, to a particular set of
circumstances.  In other words, is there a reasonable
prospect of a conviction by members of the public selected
at random?  Then in applying the public interest criteria,
how does he assess what the public really expects of its
prosecutors?  This may not be easy.  Very often, public
opinion is aroused quickly and may not be fully informed.
The prosecutor, looking at the situation impassionately
and objectively, should not necessarily be swayed by it.

II.  Accountability

     Mr Chairman, I turn now to the question of my
accountability.  I am of course, accountable to the
legislature and frequently answer questions, either in
formal sessions of the Council or at Panels such as this.
However, as a matter of principle, I cannot explain a
decision not to prosecute a particular case.

     This policy of not disclosing the reasons for
prosecution decisions is a long-standing policy, and has
been consistently applied in Hong Kong.  It was, for
example, explained to the Legislative Council in March
1987 by the then Attorney General, Mr Michael Thomas Q.C..

     Nor is it a policy that is unique to Hong Kong.
English Attorneys General and Directors of Public
Prosecutions also consistently adopt it.  In February
1992, Sir Patrick Mayhew Q.C., who was then the English
Attorney General, explained the policy to a Committee of
the House of Commons.  He emphasised that -

"it is extremely important that where somebody has not
been prosecuted or where a prosecution has been
discontinued against someone, the evidence that would have
been available had that prosecution continued should not
be paraded in public."

He added that -

"I cannot think of an answer that I have given in this
particular context that is more particular, or
significantly more particular, than saying that I have
examined the circumstances in which the particular course
of action was followed and I have satisfied myself that
the correct principles were applied."

     The policy was not created for the convenience of the
Secretary for Justice.  Indeed there are many cases in
which a Secretary for Justice would wish to be free to
explain his reasons.  The policy was created to safeguard
the integrity of the criminal justice system and to
protect the legitimate interests of those caught up in
that system; to ensure that the fundamental safeguards
provided for a defendant in a criminal trial are not swept
away in the course of a non-judicial enquiry, where there
are no rules of evidence, no presumption of innocence, no
right of cross-examination and no requirement of proof
beyond reasonable doubt.

     I would like to demonstrate what could happen if
there were an obligation to present an explanation for a
prosecution decision.  Let us assume that the prosecutor
considered that there was insufficient evidence for there
to be a reasonable prospect of a conviction.  In order to
demonstrate that he had considered all the relevant
factors, and reached his decision impartially, the
prosecutor would have to reveal the nature of the
evidence; say why he considered a particular witness might
not be reliable or might not be telling the truth; and so
on.  A public debate might then follow, in which people
judged for themselves whether the suspect was guilty or
not.  In our system, the only proper place for questions
of guilt or innocence to be determined is in a court of
law, where the accused has the right to a fair trial in
accordance with the rules of criminal justice and the
opportunity to defend himself.

     Similar considerations apply where the prosecutor
considers there is sufficient evidence to justify a
prosecution, but decides not to prosecute because this is
not in the public interest.  For example, if he were to
announce that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute,
but that the suspect played a minor role in the criminal
action and his guilt in comparison with the principal
offenders was minimal, this would be tantamount to
announcing that the defendant was guilty, without any
trial having taken place.

     Mr Chairman, I hope I have demonstrated that there is
an important principle at stake here, and that the
principle is designed, not for the convenience of the
Secretary for Justice, but for the protection of suspects
and others involved in the criminal justice process.

The Hong Kong Standard Case

     Finally, Members are well aware of the reason why I
am called to this special meeting: recently, members of
the public and the media have expressed concern about my
decision not to prosecute Madam Aw Sian, the named co-
conspirator in the Hongkong Standard case.  It is said
that my non-disclosure of the reason for my decision has
eroded the rule of law in Hong Kong and affected people's
confidence in our legal system.

     May I assure Members of this Council that in reaching
my decision, I have strictly adhered to the established
prosecution policy of this Department and to Article 63 of
the Basic Law.  I am however doubly hindered in the
present case in explaining my reasons, firstly because of
the principle of non-disclosure as I have explained above,
and secondly because the fact that three defendants will
be on trial prohibits me from going into details of the
facts of the case or the evidence involved.  It is part of
our criminal justice system that no comments should be
made on matters which are sub judice.

     I appreciate that the public, the media and Members
of this Council are eager to know the details and the
evidence of the case, short of which no explanation I now
give will satisfy them.  However, I must be careful to
observe the rules of non-disclosure in cases in which no
prosecution is made of a named person, and in cases that
will come before the court.  As a result, I cannot even
say whether my decision is based on insufficiency of
evidence or the public interest.

     I must emphasise the need for the Secretary for
Justice to make a decision independently.  If the
Secretary for Justice cannot disclose the ground for not
prosecuting, it inevitably may give rise to public
concern.  However it remains the responsibility of the
Secretary for Justice not to bring a prosecution in every
case and leave it to the accused to fend for himself and
seek an acquittal from the court.  Otherwise, the
defendant will have to go through the pressure of a trial
and suffer damage as a result.

     I would also like to take this opportunity to explain
one issue raised by the media and in public, that is, why
we have only charged three persons but not all alleged co-
conspirators named in the case.  This is not the first
time that this has occurred.  In the short time available
to me, I have been able to identify 13 concluded cases
coming from our Commercial Crime Unit alone, in which a
named co-conspirator was not charged.  In addition, there
are other cases currently proceeding in such
circumstances.  There are various reasons why this can
occur, for example, where the named person is to be a
prosecution witness; where a person is not within the
jurisdiction; and where charging the named person would
not be in accordance with our prosecution policy, either
because of the nature of the evidence or a public interest
factor.  It always has to be remembered that although a
piece of evidence may be admissible against one person, it
may be inadmissible against another.  Under the Criminal
Procedure Ordinance, an accused person is entitled to know
with some particularity the nature of the case against
him.  Therefore, where it is alleged that A conspired with
B, B's identity ought, where practical, to be revealed in
the charge, even if B is not himself charged.  B may not
be charged, for example, because B may be called as a
prosecution witness, is dead, is out of jurisdiction,
there is insufficient evidence against B or it is against
the public interest to charge B.

     As I said, whatever explanation I give now would not
satisfy the media and the public completely.  But I hope
that they will be patient and place reliance on our open
and fair judicial system as, during the trial, the
evidence will become open to the public.  As previously
indicated, I hope that at the conclusion of the trial it
will be possible to make a public statement on the case.

     I would add that, in performing my constitutional
functions in respect of prosecutions, I will not bow to
external pressure.  I will continue to act independently,
and in accordance with the rule of law.

End


2.  1,098 valid nominations for Election Committee
    **********************************************

     A total of 1,098 nominations, including 40 from the
Religious Subsector, for the Election Committee subsector
elections are valid, the Registration and Electoral Office
announced today (Monday).

     Eight people have withdrawn their nominations and
eight nominations are invalid.

     Four subsectors - Commercial (second), Hong Kong
Chinese Enterprises Association, Industrial (second) and
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference - are
uncontested as the number of candidates (95) equals the
number of members allocated to them.

     As a result, 963 candidates from 31 subsectors will
run for 588 seats on the Election Committee next Thursday
(April 2).

     A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office
urged 140,000 voters from the 31 subsectors to go to the
polls next Thursday to elect their representatives on the
Election Committee.

     "As the polling day will fall on a working day, I
hope that employers will be considerate and allow their
employees to visit their polling stations during office
hours to vote," the spokesman said.

     A total of 90 polling stations throughout the
territory will be open from 7.30 am to 10.30 pm on April
2.

     Poll cards will be mailed to every voter from
Thursday telling them where, when and how to vote.
Leaflets bearing personal particulars of candidates will
be sent to every voter.  The full list of candidates will
be put on the Internet early this week.  The website
address is http://www.info.gov.hk.

     The composition of the 800-member Election Committee
is:

     588    to be elected from 31 subsectors
      95    returned from four uncontested subsectors
      40    nominated by the Religious Subsector
      77    ex-officio members from the National People's
            Congress and the Provisional Legislative
            Council

End


3.  Government departments ready for the rain season
    ************************************************

     The Inter-departmental Working Group on heavy rain
today (Monday) announced the start of the new arrangements
in heavy rain situations in 1998.

     The group, comprising representatives from Hong Kong
Observatory (HKO), Education Department (ED), Hong Kong
Examinations Authority (HKEA), Security Bureau (SB),
Drainage Services Department (DSD), Geotechnical
Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering
Department, Transport Department (TD), Information
Services Department (ISD) and Home Affairs Department
(HAD), has been meeting since November 1997 to develop a
new strategy to warn the public of severe weather and to
ensure that government departments involved would closely
co-ordinate their activities in respect of disaster
prevention and preparedness.

     Introducing the new measures, an HKO spokesman said:
"Under the revised rainstorm warning system, a forecast
element will be introduced and the Amber rainstorm signal
will be issued to the public as an early alert to imminent
rainstorms.

     "A Special Announcement on Flooding in the Northern
New Territories will be issued whenever heavy rain affects
that area."

     To tie in with the above arrangements, an ED
spokesman said that the Director of Education will
announce the suspension of classes if the Red or Black
warning is issued before schools start.

     "However, schools should still ensure that their
premises will be appropriately open and staffed to look
after any students arriving and to ensure their safety.

     "For students who have set out to schools when the
Red or Black signal is issued, they should normally
proceed to the school unless road or traffic conditions
ahead are unsafe," the spokesman added.

     For school buses already on their way to schools,
both the ED and TD spokesmen urged school-bus drivers to
listen to radio broadcasts for the latest information on
the rainstorm and ensure that students are taken to a safe
place, normally the school, unless road or traffic
conditions ahead warrant otherwise.

     "After arriving at school, although there will be no
normal classes, students should remain there until it is
safe for them to go home.  If the Red or Black warning is
issued when schools are in session, students should stay
in school and remain there until the end of school hours
and conditions are safe for them to return home," the ED
spokesman said.

     Emphasizing that the closure of school does not
necessarily imply the postponement of public examinations,
an HKEA spokesman advised that during rainstorm
situations, candidates for public examinations should
listen to radio and television announcements right up to
the time they leave to attend the examinations.

     An SB spokesman explained that the new arrangements
have been incorporated into the Government's natural
disaster contingency plan.

     "When intense rainstorms affect Hong Kong, the Bureau
will closely monitor the situation and provide support to
departments and relevant organisations as required."

     Meanwhile, a DSD spokesman urged people living in
low-lying areas to be prepared for the coming rain season.

     "Those living in the plains of the northern New
Territories should in particular pay attention to the
Special Announcements introduced from this year onwards,
to avoid possible flood damage.

     "They should avoid going near easily flooded
watercourses or passing through flooded areas," he added.

     An ISD spokesman stressed that the media,
particularly radio and television stations, had a key role
to play in broadcasting the advisory warnings and
announcements to the public, and urged them to give
priority to broadcasting these messages and repeating them
at frequent intervals.

     A new Announcement of Public Interest (API) on the
revised rainstorm warning system describing the warnings
and precautionary measures is now ready for broadcast.
Leaflets describing the new arrangements are now available
at all district offices of the Home Affairs Department.

     The Inter-departmental Working Group has completed
its preparation work for the 1998 rain season.  The
departments concerned will maintain close contact with one
another and will jointly review the new measures at the
end of the year.

End


4.  Secretary for Justice to visit Beijing
    **************************************

     The Secretary for Justice, Ms Elsie Leung, will make
a four-day visit to Beijing tomorrow (Tuesday), returning
on Saturday (March 28) morning.  Her itinerary will
include calls on the HK and Macao Affairs Office and
offices of the legislative, public security, judicial and
procuratorate bodies.  Ms Leung will be accompanied by the
Solicitor General, Mr Daniel Fung; the Law Draftsman,
Mr Tony Yen; and the Director of Administration and
Development of the Department of Justice, Mr Stephen Lam.

End


5.  Consumer price indices for February 1998
    ****************************************

     Consumer price inflation continued its moderating
trend in February 1998.  As measured by the Composite
Consumer Price Index (Composite CPI), the year-on-year
increase in February was 4.7%, slower than the 5.4%
increase in January 1998.

     Analysed by sub-index, the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang
Seng CPI all registered slower year-on-year increases in
February 1998 than in January 1998 -- 4.5% against 5.1%
for the CPI(A); 4.8% against 5.4% for the CPI(B); and 4.9%
against 5.9% for the Hang Seng CPI.

     These changes are as reflected in the Consumer Price
Index figures for February 1998 released today (Monday) by
the Census and Statistics Department.

     The slower year-on-year increases in the Composite
CPI, CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI in February than in
January were mainly due to slower increases in food prices
and in charges for package tours and hair-dressing after
the Lunar New Year Festival.

     A spokesman of the Census and Statistics Department
pointed out that the prices of many consumer items had
returned to a lower level in February after the seasonal
rise around the Lunar New Year.  As the Lunar New Year
fell in late January this year but in early February last
year, this seasonal factor was likely to have affected the
year-on-year increases in CPI in January and February 1998
in opposite directions.

     Taking the first two months of 1998 together, the
increase in the Composite CPI averaged at 5.1% over a year
earlier.  This is the lowest consumer price inflation
recorded since July 1987.  The corresponding increases in
the CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI were 4.8%, 5.1% and
5.4%.

     Analysed by component, higher year-on-year rates of
price increase than the overall average in February were
recorded for housing (8.7% in the Composite CPI and 7.1%
in the CPI(A)) and alcoholic drinks and tobacco (8.3% in
the Composite CPI and 8.8% in the CPI(A)).

     Meanwhile, those components with lower year-on-year
rates of price increase than the overall average in
February were durable goods (0.1% in the Composite CPI and
0.8% in the CPI (A)); fuel and light (0.4% in the
Composite CPI and 0.2% in the CPI(A)); miscellaneous
services (1.2% in the Composite CPI and 2.5% in the
CPI(A)); food (excluding meals bought away from home (2.9%
in the Composite CPI and 2.6% in the CPI(A)) and clothing
and footwear (3.1% in the Composite CPI and 3.9% in the
CPI(A)).

     Comparing February 1998 with January 1998, the
Composite CPI increased by 0.3%.  The corresponding
increases for the CPI(A) and CPI(B) were 0.6% and 0.4%.
On the other hand, the Hang Seng CPI decreased by 0.1% in
February 1998.

     For the three months ended February 1998, the
Composite CPI was, on average, higher by 5.1% over a year
earlier.  The corresponding increases for the CPI(A),
CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI were 4.8%, 5.2% and 5.5%.

     For the 12-month ended February 1998, the Composite
CPI was, on average, higher by 5.6% than the preceding
12-month period.  The corresponding increases for the
CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI were 5.4%, 5.6% and 6.0%.

     The seasonally adjusted monthly rate of increase in
the Composite CPI averaged at 0.2% during the three months
ended February 1998.  The corresponding increases for the
CPI(A), CPI(B) and Hang Seng CPI were 0.4%, 0.3% and 0.1%.

     More details are given in the "Consumer Price Index
Report" for February 1998, which is available at $28 per
copy from the Government Publications Centre, ground
floor, Low Block, Queensway Government Offices, 66
Queensway, Hong Kong; or from the Publications Unit of the
Census and Statistics Department, 19th floor, Wanchai
Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.  For local
and overseas mailings, contact should be made with the
Information Services Department, 28th floor, Siu On
Centre, 188 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

     For enquiries about the indices, please telephone the
Consumer Price Index Section of the Census and Statistics
Department on 2805 6403.

End


6.  EC discusses the academic structure's review framework
    ******************************************************

     The Education Commission (EC) discussed today
(Monday) the overall aims of the academic structure
review, and the major issues to be considered.

     Speaking after the EC meeting, the Chairman,
Professor Rosie Young, said: "We note the request from the
education community that we should take action to
strengthen our education structure."

     "Building upon previous reviews conducted by such
advisory bodies as the Board of Education and the
University Grants Committee on sector-specific issues, we
will take a fresh look at the goals of education and the
aims of different education stages, from pre-primary to
tertiary education in the light of existing and future
needs of the community."

     "We will examine how best our academic structure can
tie in with such goals.  In the course of review, we will
address the age at which students should begin each stage
of education, the duration and interface of various
stages, the curriculum and methods of assessment," she
said.

     "Two working groups (WG) will be set up under the EC
to conduct the review."

     "One WG will examine pre-primary and 9-year universal
basic education; and another will examine post-Secondary 3
education.  Given the complexity of the issues to be
examined, the two WGs will comprise a few EC members and
co-opt individuals from relevant advisory bodies and
different education sectors," she noted.

     "Besides, the WGs will seek the views of major
advisory bodies in the process of the review.  Meetings
will be held with these bodies to exchange views on
sector-specific issues on need basis," Professor Young
said.

     "This is the last EC meeting chaired by me.
Throughout the five years of my chairmanship, I have been
ably assisted by a Commission composed of members with
deep interest in and knowledge of educational matters."

     "I am pleased to hand over the chairmanship to the
capable hands of the Hon Antony Leung starting from April
1, 1998, and am confident that he will lead the Commission
to face the new challenges ahead," she said.

End


7.  Update on cholera
    *****************

     The Department of Health has not received any
suspected cases of cholera today (Monday).

     The updated cholera situation is the same as
yesterday.  The total number of confirmed cholera cases so
far this year remains at 48, including 32 imported cases
and 16 local cases.  There is no suspected case.

End


8.  Consultancy study on future development of HK banking sector
    ***********************************************************

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has appointed
KPMG Peat Marwick and its subsidiary, Barents Group, LLC,
as consultants to carry out a study on the future
development of the banking sector in Hong Kong.

     The study has two objectives.  The first is to
examine the strategic outlook for the banking sector in
Hong Kong over the next five years.  This will include an
assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the banking
sector and the opportunities and threats with which it is
faced, taking into account the impact of global and local
trends and issues.

     Among the issues to be examined will be the costs and
benefits of certain features of the current regulatory
system and the potential impact of changes to these
features.  There is however no presumption that changes to
the current regulatory system should, or will, be made.

     The second objective of the study is to consider the
adequacy and effectiveness of the HKMA's current approach
to banking supervision and to make recommendation for any
changes that seem required in the light of the strategic
outlook for the banking sector.

     The study will consist of two phases corresponding to
the above objectives.  The study is now underway and is
expected to be completed in about six months.  The final
report is expected to be submitted to the HKMA by the end
of September 1998.

End


9.  More sites joined Considerate Contractors Site Award Scheme
    ***********************************************************

     The Secretary for Works, Mr Kwong Hon-sang, today
(Monday) presented awards to six private sector and 14
public works construction sites for their outstanding
performance in site management at the Considerate
Contractors Site Award Scheme 1997 Award Ceremony.

     The winners were chosen from among 10 private sector
sites and 39 public works sites which participated in the
Fourth Phase of the Scheme.  Introduced since 1995, the
first three phases were participated by a total of 114
public works sites and on average about 30 per cent won
the award.

     At the Award Ceremony, Mr Kwong said he was delighted
that in the 1997 Phase, the percentage of participating
sites which had won the awards had increased to 41.

     He said another encouraging sign was the increase in
participation in 1998 with 12 private sector sites and 45
public works sites joined the scheme.

     "It is evident from the increase in the number of
participating sites, that more contractors in the industry
appreciate the importance of good site management and are
willing to adopt a considerate attitude towards their
neighbours," Mr Kwong said.

     "With the increasing volume of construction works in
the years to come, including the housing development
programme and the massive infrastructure projects, it is
not difficult to find a construction site in our
neighbourhood.

     "Government, as well as the entire construction
industry, has a responsibility to ensure that the impact
and disturbances to the public caused by these
construction sites are kept to the very minimum.

     "It is in this spirit that the Scheme evolved and
expanded to cover the private sector," Mr Kwong added.

     The 1997 Award Ceremony was co-organised by the
Labour Department, Radio Television Hong Kong, the Hong
Kong Construction Association, the Construction Industry
Training Authority and the Occupational Safety and Health
Council.

End


10. Footpath adjacent to Tempo Court reopens
    ****************************************

     A more convenient access will be available for use
again by residents in Tin Hau Temple Road and Braemar Hill
in North Point with the reopening of a footpath adjacent
to Tempo Court in the area today (Monday).

     This is one of the district-based environmental
improvement projects carried out in the Eastern District
under the Home Affairs Department's Urban Environmental
Improvement Scheme to improve the living environment of
the local residents.  These include improvement works for
local roads and footpaths, amenity planting and other
environmental projects identified and endorsed by the
provisional district boards.

     Started in September last year, the footpath
improvement project was completed in February this year
with a total cost of about $210,000.  Improvement works to
the footpath include road-widening, weeding, erection of
hand-railings and installation of street lamps.

     A total of $1.15 million was allocated by the then
Eastern District Board for 17 minor environmental
improvement projects in 1996/97, while over $1.2 million
has been spent by the Eastern Provisional District Board
on similar projects carried out in 1997/98 so far.

     Officiating guests at the opening ceremony were the
Assistant Director of Home Affairs, Mr Chris Williams;
Chairman of Eastern Provisional District Board, Mr Chan
Bing-woon; and Acting District Officer (Eastern), Miss
Subrina Chow.

End


11. Provisional statistics of retail sales for January 1998
    *******************************************************

     The value of total retail sales in January 1998,
estimated at $19.9 billion, decreased by 11% when compared
with January 1997.  After discounting the effect of price
changes over the period, total retail sales decreased by
12% in volume.

     These are some of the provisional figures on retail
sales released today (Monday) by the Census and Statistics
Department.

     Compared with a year ago, sales of motor vehicles
showed the largest decline, by 35% in value and 33% in
volume in January 1998.  These were followed by sales of
clothing and footwear (19% in value and 22% in volume);
commodities in department stores (17% in value and 20% in
volume); jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts
(21% in value and 15% in volume); miscellaneous consumer
goods (7% in value and 12% in volume) and consumer durable
goods other than motor vehicles (8% in both value and
volume).

     Meanwhile, sales of fuels remained virtually
unchanged in value, but decreased by 3% in volume.

     On the other hand, affected by the Lunar New Year
festival, sales in supermarkets and sales of food,
alcoholic drinks and tobacco recorded increases of 24% and
5% in value respectively.  In volume terms, their
respective increases were 16% and 7%.

     Compared with December 1997 (but bearing in mind that
this comparison is affected by seasonal factors), total
retail sales in January 1998 decreased by 2% in value, but
remained virtually unchanged in volume.

     A Government Secretariat spokesman commented that
retail business had been dampened considerably by the
deterioration in local consumer sentiment since late 1997,
in face of the marked correction in both the stock and
property markets, successive rises in interest rates, and
a grim economic outlook in the near term.  The shrinkage
in spending by tourists amidst the setback in inbound
tourism also contributed.  Yet, sales in supermarkets and
of foodstuffs still recorded increases in volume, on
account of increased spending on the items concerned
towards the Lunar New Year festival.

     The volume of retail sales is derived from the value
of retail sales after adjusting for price changes.  The
relevant components of the Consumer Price Index are used
as deflators.

     Starting from the reference month of January 1997, a
new series of value and volume indices reflecting changes
in the combined sales in supermarkets and supermarkets
operating in department stores was compiled.  The new
indices will serve as supplementary statistics to provide
further reference for certain analytical purposes.

     The report containing the analysis of the January
1998 results is now on sale at $3 per copy at the
Government Publications Centre, Ground Floor, Low Block,
Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway; and the
Publications Unit of the Census and Statistics Department,
19th Floor, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai.

     Enquiries about the survey results may be directed to
the Wholesale and Retail Trade Statistics Section of the
Census and Statistics Department (Tel. No.: 2802 1258).

End


12. March issue of HK Monthly Digest of Statistics
    **********************************************

     Two feature articles entitled "An analysis of Hong
Kong's imports" and "A review of the transport sector,
1986 - 1995" are published in the March 1998 issue of the
Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics, which is now on
sale.

"An analysis of Hong Kong's imports"
------------------------------------

     Imports in Hong Kong cover all goods imported for
domestic use and for subsequent re-exports.  Lacking in
natural resources, Hong Kong imports raw materials for
production and commodity goods for consumption.
Concurrent with the robust growth in re-export trade
during the past ten years, Hong Kong's imports also
prospered accordingly.

     This feature article analyzes the performance and
characteristics of Hong Kong's imports in recent years.

"A review of the transport sector, 1986 - 1995"
------------------------------------------------

     With the development of Hong Kong into an
international trade and tourist centre, the transport
sector expanded rapidly from 1986 to 1995.  The port of
Hong Kong has been one of the world's busiest ports for
years.  The Hong Kong International Airport is also
amongst the most hectic airports in the world both in
terms of international passengers and freight throughput.

     In parallel with the social and economic progress of
Hong Kong, a comprehensive, safe and efficient public
transport network has been developed in the territory.
Different modes of public transport offering various types
of services with a range of prices are now available.

     In 1995, there were 41,400 establishments engaged in
the transport sector, representing a moderate average
annual increase of 2.1% over 1986.  The gross business
receipts of the sector however showed a considerable
growth over the period 1986-1995.  It amounted to $230
billion in 1995, an increase of over two times compared
with 1986.  The net output of the sector, as measured by
value added, reached $65.8 billion in 1995, representing
an average annual growth rate of 16.8% over 1986.

     More detailed analysis of the performance of various
transport and related services industries and the industry
structure of the transport sector during the period 1986-
1995 are given in this article.

     The March 1998 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest
of Statistics is now on sale at $52 a copy.  In addition
to the above two feature articles, it contains the most
up-to-date information on Hong Kong's development
regarding economic growth, labour market, inflation and
many other social and economic issues.

     Purchase of this publication can be made at the
Government Publications Centre, Ground Floor, Low Block,
Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong.
The publication is also available for sale at the
Publications Unit of the Census and Statistics Department,
19th Floor, Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong
Kong.  Regular subscription can also be arranged with the
Publications Sales Office of the Information Services
Department (Tel: 2598 8194).

End


13. Mail services to Burundi back to normal
    ***************************************

     The Postermaster General, Mr Robert Footman,
announced today (Monday) that all mail services to
Burundi, including letter and parcel, which have been
suspended since September 12, 1996, are now back to
normal.

End


14. Water storage figure
    ********************

     Storage in Hong Kong's reservoirs at 9 am today
(Monday) stood at 81.4 per cent of capacity or 476.985
million cubic metres.

     This time last year the reservoirs contained 459.869
million cubic metres of water, representing 78.5 per cent
of capacity.

End





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