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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Of interest is the fact that, from next year, the specialist training of Health Inspectors in public cleansing, meat and other foods inspection will be done here in Hong Kong for the first time. It has been the practice in the past to send such officers to the United Kingdom to study for the examinations of the Institute of Solid Wastes Management. This year, the Department has obtained the agreement of the Institute to recognize Hong Kong as an approved overseas examination centre. A 2-year evening course is now being organized for staff requiring specialized training in public cleansing. The course will begin in September next year and will be organized jointly with the Extra-Mural Department of the Hong Kong University or the Hong Kong Polytechnic.
The recent appointment of a Veterinary Officer will also make it possible to train Health Inspectors locally in meat and other foods inspection. Therefore, the 20 Health Inspectors now receiving training in the United Kingdom will be the last group to be sent there, and the first Hong Kong training course in meat and other foods inspection will begin in January next year. The course will run for eight months, following which an examination will be held locally leading to the award of a diploma by the Royal Society of Health. Our aim is to train more officers locally where possible so as to make the best use of staff time and financial resources.
Programmes to take account of needs in the longer term are now to be formulated and, as an example, the Administration Select Committee has recently considered a paper on the future staffing of the Health Inspectorate over the next five years. This is being studied by the relevant Select Committees and will have a significant effect on future training requirements for the Health Inspectorate.
TRAINING-ASIAN REGION
In another new development, I would mention a study tour to South-East Asian countries, which will also be the first of its kind to be organised. The Administration Select Committee has approved this group tour which will enable staff to broaden their outlook and see how other municipal authorities tackle their problems in such areas as cleansing, hawkers and environmental hygiene. The experience gained should be most useful and stimulating.
I hope that this information answers Miss Ko's question, and I am glad to have had this opportunity to emphasise the importance that the Council attaches to the training programmes for Departmental staff.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
TRAINING PROGRAMME 1975-76
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APPENDIX I
A provision of $1,140,000 is to be included in the 1975-76 Estimates for training of departmental staff.
Details of the training programme are as follows:
Type of Training/Place Grade and No. of Staff Duration Cost Administration/Management Course (Manchester/Birmingham University, U.K.) 1 year $70,000 Environmental Engineering Course (Polytechnic of the South Bank, U.K.) 1 Health Inspector 1 year $35,000 Diploma in Poultry Science/Technology (Harper Adams Agricultural College of Shropshire, U.K.) 1 H.I. 1 year $35,000 Diploma course in Health Education (University of Leeds) 1 H.I. 1 year $35,000 Diploma course in Food Technology (Polytechnic of the South Bank, U.K.) 1 H.I. 1 year $35,000 Attachment to Institute of Solid Wastes Management, Institute of Water Pollution Control, etc. to study the development and arrangement of specialized technical training for Health Inspectors 1 Senior Health Inspector 1 year $35,000 Meat and other food inspection course (local) 20 H.I.s 8 months $200,000 Training course on public cleansing for officers intending to sit for the Testamur Exam. conducted by the Institute of Solid Wastes Management (local) 20 H.I.s 2 years $120,000 Training course for Student Health Inspectors (local) 80 Student H.I.s In-service training courses (local) H.I.s 2 years $35,550 Horticultural training course (Ryde School of Horticulture, Australia) 2 Amenities Assts. Cl. II not yet fixed $25,000 Horticultural training course (Ryde School of Horticulture, Australia) 4 AAIIS 1 year (final year of a 2-year course) $69,000 Landscape design course (Ryde School of Horticulture, Australia) 1 Amenities Officer Cl. II 2 years $140,560 1 year $38,640Page 107 of 187