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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1991
MANY MEMBERS HAVE POINTED OUT A NUMBER OF INADEQUACIES IN THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE. AS I SAID IN THIS COUNCIL ON 30 JANUARY IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM MR TAM YIU-CHUNG, AN INTER- DEPARTMENTAL WORKING PARTY IS NOW REVIEWING THE ORDINANCE. WHILE THE WORKING PARTY HAS YET TO COMPLETE ITS TASK, ITS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS POINT ΤΟ THE NEED FOR A NUMBER OF MAJOR CHANGES TO BE MADE ΤΟ THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT AND COMPENSATION. GIVEN THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE DISEASE, WHICH IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT, WE CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PRESENT TWO-STAGE ASSESSMENT PROCESS BEING REPLACED BY MORE FREQUENT AND REGULAR ASSESSMENTS AND COMPENSATION PAYMENTS. BUT HERE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. WHILE THERE APPEARS, ON THE FACE OF IT, TO BE A FAIR CASE FOR MORE FREQUENT ASSESSMENTS OF DISABILITY LEADING TO FURTHER PAYMENTS OF COMPENSATION, WE MUST TRY TO AVOID A SITUATION IN WHICH WORKERS ALREADY SUFFERING FROM THIS DISEASE WOULD FURTHER EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO THE SAME OR GREATER HAZARDS. IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO FIND A WAY IN WHICH THESE WORKERS ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM OTHER, NON-HAZARDOUS WORK, FOLLOWING RE-TRAINING IF NECESSARY.
THE WAY FORWARD
SIR, THE MOTION BEFORE US URGES THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONDUCT WITH URGENCY A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ITS POLICIES ON OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY. AS THIS SUBJECT COVERS TWO PROGRAMME AREAS, AND AS MEMBERS HAVE MADE A CONVINCING CASE FOR THE MANY RELATED SERVICES AND ISSUES TO BE LOOKED AT AS A WHOLE, IT WOULD SEEM SENSIBLE FOR THE VARIOUS INVESTIGATIONS NOW BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE TWO POLICY BRANCHES AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS TO BE JOINTLY MONITORED. MY COLLEAGUE THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE WELCOMES THIS. ACCORDINGLY, WE HAVE AGREED TO SET UP A JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE THREE COMPONENT ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING CONSULTATION WITH HER AND MY SUCCESSOR, I CAN SAY THAT WE ARE HOPEFUL WE SHALL BE ABLE TO REPORT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS ΤΟ THE OMELCO PANELS CONCERNED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SIR,
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR
AS THE MOTION POINTS OUT, TODAY IS DAY. IT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MY LAST DAY AS SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER. I SHALL THEREFORE HAVE TO LEAVE THE TASK OF THIS JOINT REVIEW TO MY SUCCESSOR INSOFAR AS THE EMPLOYMENT SIDE IS CONCERNED. AS THE NEXT SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, I SHALL, OF COURSE CONTINUE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUBJECT. AND I SHOULD VERY MUCH HOPE THAT, FOLLOWING THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION WITH THE RELEVANT OMELCO PANELS, I WILL NOT BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF INCALCULABLY EXPENSIVE PROPOSALS
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, COMPENSATION FOR OMELCONIOSIS.
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SIR,
WITH THESE REMARKS I SUPPORT THE MOTION.
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