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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1986
A LEGCO AD HOC GROUP WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FORMED AND MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES TO DISCUSS THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS' CONCERN ABOUT BEING ASKED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF THE EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS USED AND DAMAGED DURING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS.
MEMBERS WERE ASSURED THAT IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY THAT AN OFFICER COULD BE HELD LIABLE IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PROVE +NEGLIGENCE OR FAULT+ ON THE DIRECTOR'S PART, MISS TAM SAID.
IN ORDER TO ALLAY THE STAFF'S CONCERN, THE DIRECTOR ALSO ARRANGED FOR HIS DEPUTIES TO MEET WITH THE SIX STAFF ASSOCIATIONS AND BRIEF THEM IN CHINESE ON THE CONTENT OF THE BILL.
AFTER THREE MEETINGS, THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS ACCEPTED THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
MISS TAM SAID THE AD HOC GROUP APPRECIATED THE DIRECTOR'S EFFORTS IN REACHING AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE STAFF WITHIN A MERE 10 DAYS.
SHE SAID MEMBERS WERE ALSO PROVIDED WITH THE MINUTES OF THE STAFF MEETINGS HELD IN 1984 AND CLEARLY THE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WERE ADVISED OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE BILL.
HOWEVER, SHE SAID, MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN FUTURE A CLEAR INDICATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF A PROPOSAL RATHER THAN MERE ACQUIESCENCE SO THAT THEY MIGHT MORE ACCURATELY ASSESS THE RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE.
MISS TAM WAS ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THAT IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD TAKEN NOTE OF COMMENTS ON THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF PROVIDING A STATUTORY RIGHT OF APPEAL AGAINST AN ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR AND THAT HE WOULD BE MOVING A SUITABLE AMENDMENT DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE.
MOVING THE COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING OF THE BILL, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS SAID THE POINT MÅDE BY MISS TAM ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADEQUATE CONSULTATION WITH THE STAFF WAS WELL TAKEN.
ON MATTERS OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, MR THOMAS SAID, THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSULTED WITH THE RELEVANT STAFF ASSOCIATIONS AND THE VIEWS THEY PUT FORWARD HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE DECISIONS WERE REACHED. ALTHOUGH ON MATTERS TO DO WITH DISCIPLINE, THIS POLICY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE APPROPRIATE.
HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT STAFF ASSOCIATIONS WOULD IN ALL CASES BE INFORMED OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO DISCIPLINE RULES AND SO FAR AS POSSIBLE THEIR VIEWS WOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
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