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AUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1980
+ IF EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, THE SECOND STAGE OF THE CORRIDOR WILL ALSO BE COMPLETED AND OPENED TO TRAFFIC IN 1984, MORE OR LESS THE SAME TIME AS STAGE ONE.+
THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTION WILL BE SUPERVISED BY MAUNSELL CONSULTANTS ASIA ON BEHALF OF THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
MORE AMENDMENTS TO EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION LAW IN PIPELINE
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING ANOTHER AMENDMENT BILL TO INTRODUCE FURTHER CHANGES TO THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE.
THIS WAS STATED BY SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER, MR HOUDINI HO HON-TANG, TODAY (TUESDAY) IN A TALK TO A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG.
HE EXPLAINED THAT POSSIBLE CHANGES WHICH ARE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY INCLUDE THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY INSURANCE FOR ALL EMPLOYMENTS AND THE PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION TO EMPLOYEES INJURED WHILE TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE IR PLACE OF WORK IN SOME FORMS OF TRANSPORT PROVIDED BY THE EMPLOYER.
OTHER POSSIBLE CHANGES RELATE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ASSESSMENT BOARD TO PROVIDE A MORE REALISTIC AND FAIRER ASSESSMENT OF THE LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY AND CERTAIN MEASURES TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING OF EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION CASES.
MR HO ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE ORDINANCE, KNOWN FORMERLY AS THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE UNTIL ITS NAME WAS CHANGED ON NOVEMBER 1, WAS BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN 1953. IT HAS SINCE THEN BEEN AMENDED MANY TIMES IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND WORLD TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROVISION OF SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS IN RESPECT OF EMPLOYMENT INJURIES.
THE MAIN FEATURES OF THESE AMENDMENTS WERE THE EXTENSION OF COVERAGE, INCREASE OF COMPENSATION, CREATION OF NEW BENEFITS SPEEDING UP OF PAYMENTS AND BETTER PROTECTION OF THE INTERESTS OF INJURED EMPLOYEES OR THEIR DEPENDANTS. HOWEVER, DESPITE ALL THESE AMENDMENTS, THE MAIN PRINCIPLES AND FRAMEWORK OF THE COMPENSATION SYSTEM HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED THROUGHOUT THESE YEARS.
MR HO WENT ON TO OUTLINE DETAILS OF THE LAST AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE EFFECTIVE FROM NOVEMBER 1. SOME OF THE MAJOR ONES WERE:
/1. REMOVING