+
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986
31
DISCRETION MUST BE USED WISELY
*****
THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1986, IF ENACTED, WOULD PROVIDE THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES CONSIDERABLE DISCRETION IN ENFORCEMENT, THE HON S.L. CHEN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE OFFICERS ENTRUSTED WITH THIS POWER WOULD USE IT WISELY AND THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY ABUSE OF IT.
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, MR CHEN SAID WITH THIS OBSERVATION HE SUPPORTED THE MEASURE.
AMENDMENTS AIMED AT THE IRRESPONSIBLE
*****
THE PROVISIONS OF THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT) (NO 3) BILL 1986 WILL ONLY BE USED TO DETER THE IRRESPONSIBLE AND WILL NOT HAMPER NORMAL INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL.
MR WONG SAID THAT THOUGH THE PROPOSED PENALTIES OF THE BILL MIGHT BE CONSIDERED BY OWNERS OF SOME SMALL-SIZED FACTORIES TO BE RATHER SEVERE, STATISTICS SHOWED THAT OUTBREAKS OF FIRE CONTINUED TO POSE A CONSTANT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.
HE SAID THAT CURRENT STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT WERE NOT ACHIEVING THE DESIRED RESULTS AND A MORE EFFECTIVE DETERRENT WAS REQUIRED.
+IT IS A HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE ACT FOR ANYONE TO COMMIT SUCH OFFENCES OBSTRUCTING OR LOCKING THE MEANS OF ESCAPE AND TO EXPOSE THOSE LIVING OR WORKING IN THE MULTI-STOREYED RESIDENTIAL OR INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS TO FIRE HAZARDS, HE SAID.
MR WONG URGED INDUSTRIALISTS TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF FIRE AND TO EXERCISE SELF-DISCIPLINE, ENSURING THAT OFFENCES AGAINST THE REGULATIONS WERE NOT COMMITTED.
/32