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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1985
+THREE ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTING OPTOMETRISTS HAVE WRITTEN TO THE GOVERNMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE DEFINITION ADOPTED, HE SAID.
AS REGARDS THE CHINESE TRANSLATION OF OPTOMETRIST WHICH APPEARED IN THE EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM TO THE BILL, THE ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTING OPTOMETRISTS WHICH HAD WRITTEN TO THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TERM USED HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT THE TRANSLATION HAD NO FORCE IN LAW AND THAT IN DUE COURSE THEY WOULD BE CONSULTED ON AN OFFICIAL TRANSLATION, HE SAID.
+IN ARRIVING AT A DECISION ON THIS TRANSLATION, WE WILL ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHINESE TERMS ALREADY USED TO DESCRIBE THE OTHER PARA-MEDICAL PROFESSIONS,+ HE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, HE SAID, HAD EARLIER GIVEN AN ASSURANCE THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO CATER FOR THE INTERESTS OF THOSE IN THE PARA-MEDICAL PROFESSIONS WHO HAD BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND HAD GAINED THE IR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE IN A PRACTICAL WAY.
+ I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT THAT ASSURANCE, AND TO DO SO WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO THE OPTOMETRY PROFESSION.
+THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE WORKING IN THE OPTICAL FIELD IN HONG KONG TODAY HAVE NOT RECEIVED FORMAL TRAINING. REGARD MUST BE PAID TO THIS SITUATION IN DEVISING THE LEGISLATIVE SCHEME FOR THE CONTROL OF THE OPTOMETRY PROFESSION, HE SAID.
HE ALSO SHARED DR HO'S HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASED SUPPLY OF QUALIFIED PERSONS IN THE FUTURE, BUT HE DOUBTED WHETHER EVEN THEN THE LAW WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED TO REQUIRE THAT EACH COMPANY SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE QUALIFIED DIRECTOR.
IN REPLY TO DR. IP'S SUGGESTION THAT CERTAIN OTHER PROFESSIONS SHOULD ALSO BE BROUGHT UNDER LEGISLATIVE CONTROL, MR CHAU POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE SCOPE OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL PROFESSION ORDINANCE MIGHT BE EXTENDED IN FUTURE, THERE WERE NO PLANS TO PROVIDE REGISTRATION AND CONTROL OVER GROUPS SUCH AS CHIROPRACTORS, ACUPUNCTURISTS AND PRACTITIONERS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE, WHOSE SKILLS WERE OF A VERY DIFFERENT NATURE FROM THOSE OF THE OTHER PROFESSIONS COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE.
ON THE QUESTION OF CONSULTATION, HE ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT DRAFT REGULATIONS ON ALL FIVE PARA-MEDICAL PROFESSIONS COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE CIRCULATED TO ALL CONCERNED ORGANISATIONS BEFORE THEY WERE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL,
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