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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1988
IN PRACTICE, HE SAID, THERE WERE THREE MAIN CRITERIA IN CONSIDERING REQUESTS FOR SUCH ALLOWANCES:
*
*
HARDSHIP
THE WORK OF A PARTICULAR POST CONTAINS A DISTINCT ELEMENT OF DANGER WHICH IS UNAVOIDABLE DESPITE REASONABLE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES BEING TAKEN, AND THE EXPERIENCED BY THE OFFICER CONCERNED IS SUFFICIENTLY OBVIOUS TO MERIT SOME FORM OF RECOGNITION;
THE REQUIREMENT TO PERFORM DANGEROUS DUTIES IS NOT INHERENT IN THE GENERAL DUTIES OF THE RANK OR GRADE; AND
* SUCH DANGEROUS DUTIES TAKE UP A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE
OFFICER'S WORKING TIME.
CITING AN EXAMPLE TO ILLUSTRATE THESE CRITERIA, THE SPOKESMAN SAID A GOVERNMENT DRIVER ENGAGED IN NORMAL DRIVING DUTIES WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A DANGEROUS DUTIES ALLOWANCE.
"BUT IF HE IS POSTED ΤΟ THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND 19 FREQUENTLY AND REGULARLY REQUIRED ΤΟ DRIVE A VEHICLE CONTAINING EXPLOSIVES TO WORK SITES, HE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH AN ALLOWANCE, HE SAID.
"
EXPLAINING THE REASONS FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE ALLOWANCE то WORKMEN AND CHAINMEN WORKING IN LAND AND ENGINEERING SURVEY TEAMS, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THESE WORKMEN AND CHAINMEN WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING HEAVY SURVEY EQUIPMENT WHEN GAINING ACCESS TO HIGH POINTS, AS WELL AS CLEARING THE UNDERGROWTH WHEN WORKING ON VIRGIN LAND.
"THEY ARE ALSO OFTEN REQUIRED TO SET UP REFERENCE POSTS OR REFLECTORS IN THE MIDDLE OF CARRIAGEWAYS AND STAY THERE WHILE SURVEY WORK IS BEING DONE.
AN
"AS SUCH, THE DEGREE OF DANGER THAT WORKMEN AND CHAINMEN WORKING IN SURVEY TEAMS ARE EXPOSED TO MERITS THE GRANTING OF SUCH ALLOWANCE, HE SAID.
AS FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE ALLOWANCE TO 24 SURVEY OFFICERS AND SENIOR SURVEY OFFICERS (ENGINEERING) IN THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THEY HAD BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY GRANTED THE ALLOWANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE FREQUENTLY REQUIRED TO TAKE PIEZOMETER READINGS ON POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SLOPES TO MONITOR THEIR STABILITY ON RAINY DAYS.
TRIS ALLOWANCE WAS ONLY PAYABLE DURING THE WET SEASON FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, HE SAID.
"OTHER SURVEY OFFICERS SELDOM HAVE TO CARRY OUT FIELD WORK DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER," HE ADDED.
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