WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1986
33
LOOPHOLES IN LAW PLUGGED
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THERE ARE MANY LOOPHOLES IN EXISTING LEGISLATION ON OBSTRUCTION OF FIRE ESCAPE ROUTES AND THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT)(NO. 3) BILL 1986 WILL PLUG THEM, THE HON JACKIE CHAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE OF THE BILL, MR CHAN NOTED THAT UNDER THE EXISTING ORDINANCE THOSE WHO WERE CONNECTED WITH AN OBSTRUCTION OFFENCE WOULD FIRST BE WARNED BY A FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICE, REQUIRING THEM TO COMPLY WITH IT WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD.
THOSE WHO WERE SELFISH AND LACKED PUBLIC SPIRIT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOOPHOLES AND STORE GOODS AND VARIOUS OBJECTS ALONG FIRE ESCAPE ROUTES AND ONLY CLEAR THEM FOR INSPECTION WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE NOTICE.
MR CHAN SAID THE ITEMS WOULD BE PUT BACK AGAIN ONCE AN INSPECTION WAS CARRIED OUT AND THIS EXPLAINED WHY THE ORDINANCE WHICH HAD BEEN IN FORCE FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS WAS NOT VERY EFFECTIVE.
HE SAID THE PROVISION IN THE BILL MAKING IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON ON WHOM A FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICE HAD BEEN SERVED TO ALLOW THE FIRE HAZARD TO RECUR WITHIN A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR WAS THE RIGHT REMEDY.
MR CHAN ALSO AGREED THAT THE HEAVIER PENALTIES PROPOSED WOULD PROVIDE A MUCH STRONGER DETERRENT.
HOWEVER, HE REMINDED THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NEED TO CARRY OUT COMPREHENSIVE PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMES ON THE AMENDED LEGISLATION SO THAT IT WOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO ALL, INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
TIME TO ISSUE SIMPLE PAMPHLET ON FIRE PREVENTION
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PREPARE AN UP-TO-DATE PAMPHLET EXPLAINING IN SIMPLE TERMS THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF FIRE PREVENTION, AND THE PENALTIES FOR COMMITTING OFFENCES, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SUGGESTED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY),
SPEAKING DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE FIRE SERVICES (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL 1986, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THAT DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF MANY MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS, HONG KONG WAS A RELATIVELY SAFE CITY KNOWN INTERNATIONALLY FOR HAVING UP-TO-DATE FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT, WELL-TRAINED AND DISCIPLINED PERSONNEL AND AN EXCELLENT FIRE PREVENTION SERVICE.
/HE WELCOMED