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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1985
DR HO ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT SHOULD RE-CONSIDER HOW MUCH COSMETICS AND PERFUME A VISITOR OR LOCAL RESIDENT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BRING INTO HONG KONG DUTY FREE FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY, POINTING OUT THAT THE CURRENTLY PERMITTED AMOUNT WAS +SOMEWHAT GENEROUS AND MIGHT AFFECT GOVERNMENT REVENUE.+
HE FURTHER URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVISE THE CLASSIFICATION OF COSMETICS SO THAT TRADERS IN THE INDUSTRY WOULD KNOW CLEARLY WHICH COSMETIC AND TOILET ITEMS WERE DUTIABLE.
COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSED ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE, DR HO RAISED THREE MATTERS +OF PUBLIC CONCERN.+
ONE OF THESE CONCERNS, HE SAID, WAS RELATED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCIDENTS ARISING FROM THE USE OF CHEMICALS IN INDUSTRY.
HE CALLED FOR SUFFICIENT PROVISION TO BE MADE SO THAT MORE FACTORY INSPECTORS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF NEW CHEMICALS AND THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
DR HO ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE RECENT RETIREMENT OF SEVERAL EXPERIENCED FACTORY INSPECTORS AND THE POSSIBLE EFFECT THIS COULD HAVE ON THE STANDARD OF ACCIDENT PREVENTION AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.
+THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR MIGHT WELL BE ADVISED TO LOOK INTO WAYS TO RETAIN MUCH NEEDED EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE OF FACTORY INSPECTORS AT THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT LEVEL, HE SAID.
TURNING TO WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE PLIGHT+ OF SINGLE ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING IN BOARDING HOUSES IN SUB-STANDARD PRIVATE TENEMENT BLOCKS, OR THE CAGED MEN AS DESCRIBED BY THE MEDIA,+ DR HO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION TO MOVE THEM TO PROPER HOUSING.
THE JOINT EFFORTS OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WERE REQUIRED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, INCLUDING THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, HE SAID.
+1 HOPE THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN CO-ORDINATING THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROGRAMME TO REHOUSE THESE ELDERLY PEOPLE,+ DR HO SAID.
WITH REGARD TO EDUCATION, DR HO CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE COURSE IN PRIMARY EDUCATION.
+BOTH THE PANEL OF VISITORS AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSION SUGGESTED THAT SUCH A COURSE SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO UPGRADE THE STANDARD OF PRIMARY EDUCATION.
/+THE COURSE