WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
17
HE EXPRESSED REGRET THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT CONCEDE TO HIS +WELL-INTENTIONED PROPOSAL THAT ONLY PRIVATE CARS IN USE FOR SEVEN, OR MORE YEARS SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION, AND THAT THOSE WHICH PASSED THE TEST WOULD BE INSPECTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ONLY FROM THE TENTH YEAR ONWARDS.
THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT. THE HON IAN MACPHERSON, REFERRING TO THE QUESTION OF APPEALS RAISED BY MR SO, STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THE ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE ALREADY PROVIDED FOR A VEHICLE OWNER TO APPEAL TO THE TRANSPORT TRIBUNAL IF THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT REFUSED TO LICENSE HIS VEHICLE ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT WAS NOT ROADWORTHY.
+THIS RIGHT WOULD APPLY TO INSPECTIONS CARRIED OUT BY CAR TESTING CENTRES BY VIRTUE OF THE AMENDMENT TO SECTION 25 PROPOSED IN CLAUSE 2 OF THE BILL, HE SAID.
WITH REGARD TO INSPECTION OF CARS, HE SAID THE OBJECTIVE LAID DOWN IN THE 1979 WHITE PAPER ON INTERNAL TRANSPORT POLICY WAS THAT ALL CARS OVER SIX YEARS OLD SHOULD BE EXAMINED ANNUALLY.
+THE AGE THRESHOLD PROPOSED IN THE BILL IS CONSERVATIVE COMPARED TO THE PRACTICE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, ALL CARS OVER THREE YEARS OLD HAVE TO BE INSPECTED ANNUALLY, HE SAID.
DUE RECOGNITION URGED FOR +PRACTISING REFRACTIONISTS+
*****
AN ANSWER TO THE CALL BY THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL OPTOMETRISTS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF PRACTISING REFRACTIONISTS BY FULLY-TRAINED OPTOMETRISTS IN 1987 WAS GIVEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSIONS, MIDWIVES REGISTRATION AND NURSES REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP SAID LIKE DOCTORS AND DENTISTS +WE ALSO HAVE WITHIN OUR ORDINANCES SECTIONS TO PROTECT THOSE 'GRANDFATHERS' IN OUR PROFESSION WHO, ALTHOUGH WITHOUT THE NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS AS REQUIRED TODAY, HAVE NEVERTHELESS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE IR PROFESSION IN THE YESTERYEARS+.
DR IP SAID SHE CONSIDERED IT JUSTIFIABLE TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE DUE RECOGNITION AND ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR PRACTICE, WITH RESTRICTIONS, OF COURSE, TO WHAT THEY COULD SAFELY PERFORM.
THIS EXPLAINED WHY +TO DETECT OCULAR DISEASES+ WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITION OF THE WORK OF OPTOMETRISTS.
/+SUFFICE TO