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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1983
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE DELAY IN THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN'S DENTAL CLINICS, DR THONG SAID THAT THE REASON FOR THE RE-SCHEDULING OF THE ARGYLE STREET DENTAL CLINIC, WAS BECAUSE THE PROJECT WAS NOT ACCEPTED AS A PRIORITY ITEM FOR IMMEDIATE UPGRADING IN THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING PROGRAMME.
THIS MEANT THAT THE PROJECT COULD NOW ONLY BE COMPLETED A YEAR BEHIND SCHEDULE, HE ADDED.
DR THONG SAID IT FOLLOWED THAT THE BUILDING SCHEDULES FOR OTHER SCHOOL CHILDREN DENTAL CLINIC PROJECTS WOULD BE AFFECTED TO SOME EXTENT.
HOWEVER, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHOOL DENTAL CARE SERVICE WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED UP TO THE END OF THIS YEAR.
BUT THE STUDENT DENTAL THERAPISTS WHO WOULD QUALIFY AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND 1984 WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCOMMODATED IN ALTERNATIVE FACILITIES FOR THEIR WORK, HE SAID.
+ACTIVE CONSIDERATION IS NOW BEING GIVEN TO FIND SUCH ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION IN EXISTING DENTAL FACILITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.
EXCO'S VIEW ON DRIVING LICENCE BEING CONSIDERED ******
THE MOTION BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY FOR THE DELETION OF DRIVING LICENCE AS PROOF OF IDENTITY WOULD ENSURE THAT THE SECURITY ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW ID CARD SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE UNDERMINED, THE HON PETER WONG SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HOWEVER, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SHARED THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S CONCERN THAT THE PROPOSED DELETION WOULD CAUSE INCONVENIENCE TO THOSE WHO, WHEN DRIVING, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CARRY BOTH THE IR DRIVING LICENCE AND THEIR ID CARD.
HE THEREFORE WELCOMED THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON D. G. JEAFFRESON'S STATEMENT THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S SUGGESTION THAT DRIVERS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO CARRY THEIR DRIVING LICENCES IN ADDITION TO THEIR IDENTITY CARDS, WAS BEING SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED.
+THERE WAS A TIME, NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHEN THE CAPRYING OF A DRIVING LICENCE WHILE DRIVING WAS NOT MANDATORY. THAT WORKED WELL FOR MANY DECADES. WITH COMPUTER BACK-UP, THE OLD SYSTEM MAY WELL PROVE TO BE SATISFACTORY, HE SAID.
*R WONG SAID SINCE THE NUMBER OF A DRIVING LICENCE IS THE SAME AS THE ID CARD NUMBER OF THE HOLDER, AND SINCE ALL RELEVANT RECORDS ARE COMPUTERISED, HE FAILED TO SEE WHY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S SUGGESTION MIGHT PROVE IMPRACTICAL, AS SUGGESTED BY MR JE AFFRESON WHEN MOVING THE MOTION.
ON THIS OPTIMISTIC NOTE, HE SAID, HE SUPPORTED THE MOTION.
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