WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1986
27
NOTIFICATION REGISTER FOR BEDSPACE APARTMENTS PROPOSED
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THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE URGENT STEPS TO ESTABLISH A NOTIFICATION SYSTEM TO REGISTER BED-SPACE APARTMENTS, THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
OPERATORS OF THESE APARTMENTS, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS +CAGE- MEN'S HOSTELS+, WOULD THEN BE REQUIRED TO FURNISH PARTICULARS FOR A SIMPLE ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS, HE SAID.
SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON CARE AND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED SUCH APARTMENTS, ACCOMMODATING 10 000 TO 15 000 RESIDENTS, ABOUT 25 PER CENT OF WHOM WERE AGED EO OR OVER.
MOST OF THESE APARTMENTS WERE POTENTIAL DEATH-TRAPS IF A FIRE OCCURRED ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING WHERE THESE HOSTEL RESIDENTS LIVED IN A TERRIBLY OVERCROWDED SITUATION, HE SAID.
THEREFORE, MR CHEONG-LEEN PROPOSED TO SET UP A NOTIFICATION REGISTER, WHICH WOULD BE KEPT BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, SHOULD BE SET UP WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WITH OTHER DIRECTLY CONCERNED DEPARTMENTS PARTICIPATING, HE SAID.
+THE COMMITTEE WILL MEET AS AND WHEN REQUIRED, SO THAT ALL CONCERNED PARTIES CAN BE INFORMED OF WHAT ACTION THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT INTEND TO TAKE IN CONNECTION WITH THOSE BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WHICH REPRESENT THE GRAVEST FIRE HAZARDS, AND JOINT ACTION TAKEN ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID.
MR CHEONG-LEEN ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE FIRE SERVICES ORDINANCE IF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT REQUIRED MORE STATUTORY POWER TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST FIRE RISKS CAUSED BY GROSS OVERCROWDING IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS IN OLD TENEMENT BUILDINGS.
ON OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND OTHER PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTS, MR CHEONG-LEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE CURRENT PAYMENT PROCEDURES BE REVIEWED TO MAKE IT AS CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE FOR ELDERLY RESIDENTS TO RETIRE IN CHINA AND TO CONTINUE RECEIVING THEIR ALLOWANCES THUS RELIEVING TO SOME EXTENT THE OVERCROWDED LIVING CONDITIONS IN URBAN AREAS.
/HE SAID