XN000022-1980-11-24 — Page 12

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1980

IN HIS SPEECH AT THE DINNER, MR MARCH ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE LATE FIRE OFFICER LEUNG SHIU-KAY WHO DIED WHILE INSPECTING A FIRE AT THE MTR SITE IN CHEUNG SHA WAN EARLY LAST MONTH. MR LEUNG WAS THE SECRETARY OF THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE IFE.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR MR S.L. CHEN, WHO WAS THE GUEST OF HONOUR. SPOKE OF THE URGENT NEED FOR SPECIALIST CONSULTANTS IN FIRE PROTECTION.

+TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE ARE FEW, IF ANY, SPECIALIST CONSULTANTS IN THE FIRE PROTECTION FIELD, HE SAID.

+ADVICE WHICH IS FREELY AVAILABLE FROM THE INSTITUTION APTLY ILLUSTRATES THE GENERAL LACK OF SUCH EXPERTISE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

+AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER MYSELF, I AM WELL AWARE THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERT ADVICE AND CONSULTANCY SERVICES ARE READILY AVAILABLE REGARDING ELECTRICAL MATTERS.

+THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CASE WITH FIRE PROTECTION, ALTHOUGH PERSONS WHO ARE COMPETENT IN DOING FIRE PROTECTIVE WORK ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO QUALIFY AS REGISTERED PERSONS.

+SUCH PERSONS ARE OF COURSE CAPABLE OF OFFERING EXPERT ADVICE BUT AS CONTRACTORS THEMSELVES IT WOULD BE ETHICALLY IMPROPER FOR THEM TO ACT AS CONSULTANTS AT THE SAME TIME, MR CHEN SAID.

HE SAID THAT AT PRESENT, EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD OF FIRE PROTECTION AND PREVENTION WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND IN THE INSTITUTION OF FIRE ENGINEERS, A MAJORITY OF WHOSE MEMBERS ARE SERVING FIRE OFFICERS.

+ IT SEEMS TO ME THEREFORE THAT THERE IS A NEED AND JUSTIFICATION FOR A FULL-TIME EXPANSION OF EXPERTISE INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR SO THAT THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF AN INDEPENDENT ADVICE AND SERVICE ON MATTERS CONCERNING FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION, MR CHEN ADDED.

REPEAT OF EXHIBITION ON CANCER

*****

AN EXHIBITION DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT CANCER, THE TOP KILLER DISEASE IN HONG KONG, WILL BE HELD AT TSUEN WAN TOWN HALL NEXT WEEK BY POPULAR DEMAND.

THE EXHIBITION IS JOINTLY ARRANGED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE ANTI-CANCER SOCIETY AND THE STOMA ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG.

A SIMILAR EXHIBITION HELD AT THE CITY HALL IN AUGUST WAS EXTREMELY WELL RECEIVED AND ATTRACTED SOME 70 000 VISITORS IN THREE DAYS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THERE WAS STILL WIDE MISCONCEPTION AMONG THE PUBLIC THAT THE DISEASE IS DEADLY AND

INCURABLE.

THIS IS