LEDRESDAY,
1.73
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PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE TO BE AMENDED
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THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO EXTEND THE SCOPE OF THE PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE TO COVER SUCH TRADITIONAL CHINESE FESTIVALS AS THE CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL AND THE STRUCTURES USED IN THEM, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, THE HON. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY.
HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT A REVIEW WAS NOW IN HAND AND HOPED THAT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION WOULD BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL DURING THE NEXT SESSION.
MR. AKERS-JONES WAS REPLYING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE HON, LYDIA DUNN REGARDING THE COLLAPSE OF TWO BUN TOWERS DURING THE RECENT CHEUNG CHAU BUN FESTIVAL.
HE SAID THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE WAS THE USE OF POOR MATERIALS IN THE BUN TOWER THAT TOPPLED FIRST. +AS IT FELL, IT HIT A GUY ROPE OF ANOTHER TOWER, CAUSING IT ALSO TO COLLAPSE SINCE IT WAS NOT DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE IMPACT OF ANOTHER COLLAPSING TOWER,+ HE ADDED.
+THESE TOWERS, LIKE MANY OTHER STRUCTURES ERECTED IN CONNECTION WITH TRADITIONAL CHINESE FESTIVALS, ARE BUILT IN ACCORDANCE WITH TIME TESTED DESIGNS AND TRADITIONAL METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION.+
HE SAID THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE INSPECTS STRUCTURES CAPABLE OF ACCOMMODATING THE PUBLIC AS REQUIRED UNDER THE PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT ORDINANCE CAP. 172.
BUT BUN TOWERS DID NOT COME WITHIN THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND HAVE NOT HITHERTO BEEN INSPECTED OR SPECIFICALLY LICENSED BY ANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.
ARISING FROM THE CONSIDERATION OF THE FINDINGS OF THE SEK KONG COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, AND NOW THE INCIDENT ON CHEUNG CHAU, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSED TO EXTEND THE SCOPE OF THE ORDINANCE, MR. AKERS- JONES ADDED.
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