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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1989
MR TSAO SAID THE DECISION TO LICENSE GUEST HOUSES WAS MADE BY THE ADMINISTRATION IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. IN ORDER TO SECURE ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS OF FIRE SAFETY STRUCTURAL SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE.
IN NOVEMBER, AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL PLANNING COMMITTEI WAS SET UP TO WORK OUT THE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK.
THE PLANNING COMMITTER COMPLETED ITS WORK IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO LAUNCH A LICENSING SCHEME UNTIL FUNDS BECAME AVAILABLE.
"I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I AM NOW IN A POSITION TO TAKE THIS MATTER FORWARD TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. HOPEFULLY SOME TIME NEXT MONTH." MR TSAO SAID.
AS TO A FIRE TO WHICH MR BARROW REFERRED. WHICH OCCURRED IN CHUNG KING MANSIONS ON NOVEMBER 16. MR TSAO SAID IT INVOLVED THE FRONT PORTION OF THE SHOPPING ARCADE IN THE BASEMENT.
"THE FIRE DID NOT INVOLVE ANY GUEST HOUSES SITUATED ON THE UPPER FLOORS. ALTHOUGH AT ONE STAGE SOME UPPRR FLOOR OCCUPANTS, INCLUDING THOSE IN GUEST HOUSES IN THE BUILDING. WERE EVACUATED AS A PRECAUTION."
MR TSAO SAID THAT SINCE AUGUST 1 LAST YEAR. 884 GUEST HOUSES IN THE TERRITORY HAD BEEN INSPECTED BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT: 284 OF THEM WERE PATRONISED BY TOURISTS.
"THE LATTER HAVE ALL BEEN GIVEN ADVICE AND DIRECTIONS IN THE INTERIM ON A RANGE OF FIRE PROTECTION MEASURES INCLUDING THE REMOVAL OF FIRE HAZARDS. THE INSTALLATION OF EXIT SIGNS. PROVISION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: AND FOR THE LARGER ESTABLISHMENTS. THE INSTALLATION OF AUTOMATIC SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEMS.
"EACH OPERATOR HAS BEEN GIVEN TWO TO FOUR MONTHS TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS. MR TSAO SAID.
H
HE ALSO SAID THAT AS AT NOVEMBER 22. 127 TOURIST GUEST HOUSES HAD FULLY COMPLIED WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS AND 91 OTHERS HAD BEEN SERVED WITH FIRE HAZARD ABATEMENT NOTICES TO REQUIRE COMPLIANCE.
"I AM SATISFIED THAT THESE INTERIM MEASURES HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE PREVENTION.
"GUEST HOUSE OPERATORS HAVE GENERALLY BECOME MUCH MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN FIRE SAFETY MEASURES.
"EXITS ARE NOW CLEARLY INDICATED. EXTINGUISHERS ARE PROVIDED AND WHERE SMOKE DETECTORS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED OCCUPANTS CAN NOW BE WARNED AT A VERY EARLY STAGE. HE SAID.
MR TSAO ALSO SAID THAT AS AN EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR TOURISTS WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE HONG KONG ENVIRONMENT, A SPECIAL FIRE SAFETY PAMPHLET HAD BEEN PREPARED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WAS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL GUEST HOUSES ACCOMODATING TOURISTS.
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