WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1982
IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE MATTERS, A SPECIAL APPLICATION WAS MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR RESTRICTED TENDERS TO BE ISSUED TO COMPANIES THAT WERE STILL PRODUCING SCANNERS BUT THIS WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE CENTRAL TENDER BOARD WHICH DECIDED TO GO FOR OPEN TENDER AGAIN, SAID DR THONG.
+THUS, GOOD INTENTIONS AND STRENUOUS EFFORTS NOTWITHSTANDING, A FIRM ORDER COULD ONLY BE PLACED IN NOVEMBER 1981 FOR A SCANNER FOR THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL WHICH IS NOW EXPECTED TO BE DELIVERED IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR, HE SAID.
CONCERN ABOUT FIRE HAZARD TO LIFE AND PROPERTY
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THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 WHICH SEEKS TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON THOSE WHO IGNORE FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES AND ORDERS, UNDERLINED THE GOVERNMENT'S PRIME CONCERN TO PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF PROTECTION TO LIFE AND PROPERTY, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
UNDER THIS BILL, THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR A WILFUL ACT OR DEFAULT CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD WILL BE INCREASED FROM $2 000 TO $25 000, FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH A FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICE, FROM $2 000 PLUS $40 A DAY FOR A CONTINUOUS OFFENCE TO $25 000 PLUS $2 500 A DAY, AND FOR KNOWINGLY CONTRAVENING A FIRE HAZARD ORDER, FROM $4 000 PLUS $100 A DAY TO $50 000 PLUS $5 000 A DAY.
THE BILL ALSO EMPOWERS A MAGISTRATE, AFTER HEARING A COMPLAINT BY THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, TO MAKE A CLOSING ORDER ON PREMISES WHERE A FIRE HAZARD HAS ARISEN. AT PRESENT, SUCH AN ORDER CAN ONLY BE MADE IF THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAZARD IS THE STRUCTURAL NATURE OR LOCATION OF THE PREMISES CONCERNED.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR DAVIES SAID THE PRESENT LEVEL OF FINES, WHICH HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1964 OR EVEN EARLIER, HAS CLEARLY FAILED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPPORT FOR THE ACTIONS OF FIRE SERVICES STAFF IN THE INTERESTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
+SOME IRRESPONSIBLE FACTORY OPERATORS HAVE COME TO REGARD THE PAYMENT OF SUCH RELATIVELY MODEST FINES AS A ROUTINE FACTORY OVERHEAD. THIS DISREGARD OF THE LAW AND OF THEIR REASONABLE RESPONSIBILITIES HAS AROUSED MUCH UNDERSTANDABLE PUBLIC CONCERN, HE SAID.
+ IT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRE-RELATED DEATHS OF 44 PERSONS AND THE LOSS OF $150 MILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY IN 1981. IT HAS ALSO INCREASED, QUITE UNNECESSARILY, THE HAZARDS UNDER WHICH OUR VALIANT FIRE SERVICES DAY AFTER DAY TACKLE FIRES.+
MR DAVIES SAID THAT FOR THE PENALTIES TO HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECT, THE INCREASED FINES MUST BE OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY AND THAT DAILY FINES MUST BE ALSO INCREASED TO ENSURE THE PROMPT ACTION IS THEN TAKEN BY OFFENDERS.
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