WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1984
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ACTION TAKEN ON TAXI PROBLEM
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THERE HAD BEEN NO PROSECUTIONS OF TAXI DRIVERS FOR REFUSING TO ACCEPT A HIRE ACTUALLY IN THE VICINITY OF TAI KOK TSUI PIER ITSELF DURING THE LAST 12 MONTHS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
AND THERE HAD BEEN NO REPORTS TO THE POLICE ALLEGING THIS OFFENCE, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THERE HAD BEEN PROBLEMS WITH TAXIS IN THIS AREA, WHEN THE TAXI STAND WAS SITUATED ABOUT 100 METRES FROM THE PIER, HE ADDED.
ACTION HAD THEN BEEN TAKEN FIRST, BY THE RHKPF THROUGH ENFORCEMENT ACTION INCLUDING THE PROSECUTION ON AUGUST 13 OF A TAXI DRIVER FOR SOLICITING FOR HIRE, AND SECOND, BY MOVING THE TAXI STAND NEARER TO THE PIER.
+1 AM INFORMED THERE HAS NOT BEEN FURTHER TROUBLE SINCE THEN, BUT THE POLICE ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION AND WILL TAKE ENFORCEMENT ACTION AS NECESSARY.
+ IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO SUFFER FROM SUCH ILLEGAL BEHAVIOUR WOULD REPORT THE MATTER PROMPTLY TO THE POLICE, WITH APPROPRIATE DETAILS, HE SAID.
'CHIROPRACTORS NOT DEEMED REGISTERED DOCTORS'
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CHIROPRACTORS WERE NOT DEEMED REGISTERED DOCTORS, AND CHIROPRACTIC WAS NOT RECOGNISED AS A PARAMEDICAL SERVICE IN HONG KONG, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG SAID TODAY.
AS THERE WAS NO LEGISLATION GOVERNING CHIROPRACTIC IN HONG KONG, THERE WAS NO NEED FOR CHIROPRACTORS TO HAVE CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS BEFORE BEING ALLOWED TO PRACTISE HERE, HE SAID.
NO MEDICAL OR PARAMEDICAL PROFESSIONS IN HONG KONG WERE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HE SAID. THESE PROFESSIONS WERE GOVERNED BY INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODIES WHICH PROVIDED THE PROCEDURES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF THE RESPECTIVE PROFESSIONS.
HE QUOTED SECTION 28 OF THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE, WHICH STATES: +ANY PERSON WHO WILFULLY AND FALSELY PRETENDS TO BE QUALIFIED, OR TAKES OR USES ANY NAME OR TITLE IMPLYING THAT HE IS QUALIFIED, TO PRACTISE MEDICINE OR SURGERY... SHALL BE GUILTY OF AN OFFENCE.+
+THUS, IT FOLLOWS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE NO OBJECTION TO ANY TITLE OR CHINESE TRANSLATION OF THAT TITLE USED BY ANY PERSON AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT IMPLY THAT HE IS QUALIFIED TO PRACTISE MEDICINE OR SURGERY IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.
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