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18.
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Mr President, the criteria for the permit are determined by an independent Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority set up under the Ordinance. The Authority, which is chaired by the Honourable Miriam Lau, has set out four categories of security work for the purpose of issuing permits, namely:-
guarding work restricted to 'Single Private Residential Buildings' only;
(a)
(b)
guarding work for all types of premises and properties;
(c)
(d)
guarding work, the performance of which requires the carrying of arms and ammunition; and
the installation, maintenance and repairing of a security device and designing a security device system for any particular premises or place.
The Authority has ensured that all of the proposed criteria ensure that the person is fit and proper for the relevant type of security work. The criteria include age, good health, good character, proficiency in the job, the requirement to hold a valid arms licence and recommendations by prospective employers. Different criteria may apply to different types of security work.
Members may recall that last year, during discussion of the Security and Guarding Services Bill at the Bills Committee of this Council, some Members were concerned that if a fixed upper age limit was imposed on all permit applicants, a considerable number of elderly watchmen would lose their jobs. Moreover, some Members argued that, since the responsibilities of watchmen in "single private residential buildings" were less demanding, in physical terms, than those in large housing and commercial complexes or industrial buildings, the former type of watchmen should not be subject to a fixed upper age limit. To address Members' concern about the possible difficulties facing elderly watchmen if an upper age limit was imposed across the board, and given the generally sedentary nature of security duties in single private residential buildings, we agreed to propose to the Authority that there should not be a fixed age limit for security personnel working in such buildings. Rather, when such security personnel reach a certain age, they should be required to pass a regular medical examination to show that they are still fit to undertake their duties.
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