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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1983
THE CONSULTANTS RECOMMENDED THAT ALL SUCH UNSAFE WATER HEATERS BE REPLACED BY SAFE HEATERS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THAT UNSAFE APPLIANCES SHOULD BE BANNED AND DISCONNECTED AFTER THIS PERIOD.
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*THIS RECOMMENDATION, DIFFICULT IN ANY EVENT TO IMPLEMENT, HAS BEEN EXAMINED BY THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH, THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN GAS ENGINEERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 1982.
+ IT WAS DECIDED THAT INSTEAD OF AN EVENTUAL BAN, IT WOULD BE MORE PRACTICAL TO GIVE CONSUMERS A CHOICE, MR JACOBS SAID.
THEY COULD CHOOSE SAFETY EITHER THROUGH VENTILATION OR BY REPLACING THEIR EXISTING UNSAFE HEATERS WITH IMPROVED, SAFER APPLIANCES, HE POINTED OUT.
THE NATURAL DRAUGHT BALANCED FLUE HEATER REQUIRES A SUFFICIENTLY LARGE APERTURE TO BE PROVIDED IN THE WALL OF THE BATHROOM.
WHILE THIS COULD BE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE IN EXISTING BUILDINGS, THE BUILDING ORDINANCE OFFICE HAD ISSUED A BUILDING PRACTICE NOTE TO ALL AUTHORISED PERSONS, ADVISING THEM TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THESE APERTURES IN THEIR PLANS FOR NEW DOMESTIC BUILDINGS, MR JACOBS POINTED OUT.
HE SAID THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE GOVERNMENT WAS SATISFIED THAT MUCH WAS BEING DONE TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF FATAL ACCIDENTS.
BENEFITS OF SCHOOL DENTAL PLAN RECOGNISED
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A SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE WAS RECOGNISED AS A MOST APPROPRIATE AND COST EFFECTIVE SCHEME TO PROMOTE DENTAL HEATH AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY.
+THE BENEFITS OF SUCH SCHEMES, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND BASIC CONSERVATIVE DENTAL TREATMENT, HAVE BEEN CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROGRAMMES,+ HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP.
DR THONG SAID $3.93 MILLION WAS SPENT ON THE SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE FOR 1981/82. WITH 75 842 PUPILS PARTICIPATING IN THE SCHEME, THIS WORKED OUT AT $52 EACH PUPIL.
THE SERVICE IS ESSENTIALLY PREVENTIVE IN NATURE AND IS CARRIED OUT AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN WHERE IT WILL DO NOT GOOD AND AT REASONABLE COST, HE ADDED.