TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1983
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+FOR THIS REASON, IT IS A VERY GREAT HONOUR FOR US TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND INTERNATIONAL, HRH PRINCE PHILIP, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, TO INAUGURATE THE IDENTIFICATION OF ALL ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THESE GARDENS WITH THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND PANDA SYMBOL,+ DR SEARLE SAID.
AFTER THE CEREMONY, THE DUKE TOURED THE GARDENS AND WAS SHOWN SOME OF THE ENDANGERED SPECIES, INCLUDING THE ORANG-UTANS, RED-CHEEKED CRESTED GIBBONS AND WHITE-NAPED CRANES.
THE FIVE ORANG-UTANS. THE MOST PRECIOUS SPECIES OF THE
GARDENS, CAME FROM ZOOS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
THE DUKE LEARNT THAT THE GARDENS COOPERATE WITH OTHER ZOOS AND BIRD COLLECTION ORGANISATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD IN CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR RARE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES.
SICKNESS LEAVE BILL DUE FOR FINAL READING
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THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, PROVIDING FOR INCREASED PAID SICK LEAVE FOR WORKERS, WILL GO THROUGH ITS FINAL READING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW.
PRIOR TO THAT, AMENDMENTS WILL BE MOVED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, MR T.S. LO, TO FIVE CLAUSES OF THE BILL IN THE COMMITTEE STAGE.
MR LO WILL MOVE AMENDMENTS WHICH WILL DIVIDE THE PROPOSED
INTO TWO MAXIMUM ACCUMULATION OF 120 DAYS OF PAID SICK LEAVE, CATEGORIES.
CATEGORY ONE WILL COMPRISE 36 DAYS WHICH AN EMPLOYEE CAN CLAIM IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING PROVISIONS, AND CATEGORY TWO WILL COMPRISE THE REMAINING 84 DAYS WHICH AN EMPLOYEE CAN TAKE ONLY ON PRODUCTION OF A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER ATTENDING THE EMPLOYEE AS AN OUT-PATIENT OR IN- PATIENT IN HOSPITAL.
HE WILL ALSO PROPOSE THAT SICK LEAVE BE EARNED AT A RATE OF TWO DAYS PER MONTH FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT, AND FOUR DAYS PER MONTH FOR THE SECOND YEAR ONWARDS,
THE BILL ORIGINALLY PROVIDES FOR TWO DAYS PER MONTH FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS AND FOUR DAYS PER MONTH THEREAFTER.
DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WILL MOVE AN AMENDMENT PROVIDING FOR THE BILL TO COME INTO OPERATION ON A DAY TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR BY NOTICE IN THE GAZETTE.
IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF BILL IN THE COUNCIL ON JULY 13, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR POINTED OUT THAT THE AMENDMENT LEGISLATION WAS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND SICKNESS BENEFIT FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE SICK FOR QUITE A LONG PERIOD.
UNDER EXISTING PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO ONE DAY'S PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EVERY COMPLETED MONTH OF SERVICE, UP TO AN ACCUMULATED MAXIMUM OF 36 DAYS.
AN
PARLIER AT