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The reality is that resources are limited. Even assuming that resources for the survey are forthcoming, it may be more worthwhile to use such valuable resources on other important tasks, like more enforcement action against other types of unauthorised building works or enhancing our capability in monitoring and supervising building and demolition sites. Remember that our fundamental objective is to ensure public safety and it would be in the public interest to devote resources to enhance this objective. Apart from the resource implications, an occupation survey of rooftop structures would be likely to lead to abuses, such as more illegal occupation in anticipation that persons covered by the survey would eventually be rehoused.
To conclude, a territory-wide occupation survey of rooftop structures may give rise to many operational and resource implications. Nevertheless, the Administration will give further consideration to the idea.
Thank you, Mr President.
End/Wednesday, March 8, 1995
Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 1995
Following is the speech by the Acting Secretary for Economic Services, Mrs Elizabeth Bosher, when moving the second reading of the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 1995 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 1995 be read a second time.
The purpose of the Bill is to provide for control, in the interests of safety, over the carrying out of construction works in the vicinity of gas pipes.
The Bill has three main provisions. First, it enables the Governor in Council to make regulations to control the carrying out of works in the vicinity of gas pipes and increases the maximum penalty that may be provided for in regulations made under the Gas Safety Ordinance to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for 12 months and, in the case of a continuing offence, a daily penalty of $10,000.