FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1990
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RADIATION (AMENDMENT) BILL GAZETTED
A BILL SEEKING TO AMEND THE RADIATION ORDINANCE TO FACILITATE ITS ENFORCEMENT AND TO RATIONALISE CERTAIN PROVISIONS TO MEET CURRENT NEEDS WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE RADIATION { AMENDMENT) BILL 1990 PROPOSES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF FINES FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINANCE BY FIVE TIMES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
"THESE FINES HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED SINCE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO FORCE IN 1965," HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE NUMBER OF OFFENCES INVOLVED WAS VERY SMALL.
FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE LEVEL OF FINE FOR AN OFFENCE TO POSSESS OR USE AN IRRADIATING APPARATUS WITHOUT A LICENCE ISSUED BY THE RADIATION BOARD SHOULD BE RAISED FROM $10,000 TO $50,000.
"ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF IDENTIFIED OFFENCES HAS REMAINED AT AN AVERAGE OF ONLY THREE OR FOUR A YEAR, WE CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO INCREASE THE FINES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THEIR DETERRENT EFFECT, HE ADDED.
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THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO EMPOWER THE RADIATION BOARD TO EXEMPT ANY SPECIFIED RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES OR IRRADIATING APPARATUS FROM PRESENT CONTROLS UNDER THE RADIATION ORDINANCE.
EXAMPLES ARE RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES CONTAINED IN LUMINOUS WATCHES AND SMOKE DETECTORS.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THESE SUBSTANCES ARE BY DEFINITION "RADIOACTIVE" BUT THEY ARE PRESENT IN VERY SMALL QUANTITIES AND ARE PERMANENTLY ENCASED SUCH THAT THEY ARE NOT HARMFUL TO HEALTH.
"FOR PRACTICAL REASONS, IT IS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO EXEMPT THEM FROM CONTROLS," HE SAID.
SUCH EXEMPTIONS GRANTED BY THE RADIATION BOARD WOULD ВЕ PUBLICISED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE FROM TIME TO TIME.
ANOTHER AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE IS TO EMPOWER A RADIATION BOARD INSPECTOR TO SEAL THE ARTICLES OR PLACES CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES OR TO RENDER AN IRRADIATING APPARATUS INOPERABLE WHEN HE HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO SUSPECT THAT AN OFFENCE IN RESPECT OF THE SUBSTANCE OR APPARATUS HAS BEEN COMMITTED.
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