WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1993
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MEASURES TO IMPROVE DEMOLITION PRACTICE
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THE BUILDING AUTHORITY HAS ADOPTED A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO IMPROVE DEMOLITION PRACTICE FOLLOWING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE BUILDING COLLAPSE AT WING ON STREET.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
PRIORITY ADVISING
MR EASON SAID THESE MEASSURES INCLUDED ACCORDING HIGH TO DEMOLITION AND TREATING THEM AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AND OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME REGARDING THE NEED FOR PRECAUTIONARY AND PREPARATORY WORK.
THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING DATES FOR COMMENCING AND COMPLETING DEMOLITION WORKS, AND BUILDINGS CLOSED UNDER CLOSURE ORDERS WOULD BE KEPT UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
MOREOVER, THE EFFECT OF WORK AT CONSTRUCTION SITES ON NEARBY DANGEROUS BUILDINGS WOULD BE CONSIDERED EXPEDITIOUSLY AND GREATER EMPHASIS WOULD BE PLACED ON BUILDING OWNERS' STATUTORY DUTIES AND LEGAL LIABILITY IN ENSURING BUILDING SAFETY, HE SAID
"THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE IS ALSO CONSIDERING FURTHER MEASURES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF PASSERS-BY, SUCH AS STREET CLOSURE DURING THE DEMOLITION PROCESS, HE SAID.
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FEES CHARGED BY MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS MONITORED
THE GOVERNMENT MONITORS THE LEVEL OF FEES CHARGED BY PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY {WEDNESDAY).
WHOLE
SHE SAID THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE COMMUNITY AS A WAS BEING DENIED ADEQUATE MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF EXORBITANT SURGICAL FEES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
"IF,
HOWEVER, THERE WAS CLEAR INDICATION THAT CONSUMER INTERESTS WERE BLATANTLY IGNORED BY THE OPERATION OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR, GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION WOULD BE JUSTIFIED, MRS WONG SAID IN
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A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUT-CHUNG.
"ANY UNTOWARD GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION MIGHT CREATE MORE ANOMALIES THAN SUCH INTERVENTION SOUGHT TO REMOVE."
UNLIKE PUBLIC SECTOR CHARGES WHICH ARE STANDARDISED, MRS WONG SAID THE FEES CHARGED BY PRIVATE SURGEONS DEPEND ON MANY FACTORS, SUCH AS THEIR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN A PARTICULAR SPECIALTY, AND THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PROCEDURE PERFORMED.
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