XN000022-1982-03-10 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982

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IT ALSO SOUGHT TO CLARIFY THE PRESENT UNCERTAINTY RELATING TO COMPENSATION, AND TO STRIKE A REASONABLE AND FAIR BALANCE BETWEEN THE EXPECTATION OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE COMPENSATED FOR DAMAGE OR LOSS CAUSED TO HIM BY STREETWORKS AND THE LEGITIMATE INTERESTS OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE IN HAVING STREETWORKS BUILT AT NOT TOO EXTRAVAGANT COST, HE SAID,

ION

MR GRIFFITHS SAID THAT IN THE 12 YEARS SINCE THE ENACTMENT OF THE STREETS (ALTERATION) ORDINANCE, THE COMPLEXITY, SOPHISTICATION AND SIZE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS DESIGNED AND BUILT TO ASSIST IN SOLVING HONG KONG'S TRAFFIC PROBLEMS HAD INCREASED, AS HAD THE NEED FOR ROADS WITHIN AND LEADING TO THE NEW URBAN AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

*THE EFFECTS OF THESE CHANGES, AND EXPERIENCE IN ITS OPERATION, HAVE MADE PLAIN THAT THE PRESENT ORDINANCE IS SERIOUSLY DEFECTIVE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS AND NOT CAPABLE OF ADAPTATION BY AMENDMENT TO MEET THE PRESENT-DAY NEEDS OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

CHANGES TO MEDICAL PRACTICE LAW PLANNED

****

PROPOSALS WERE BEING PREPARED FOR AMENDING THE MEDICAL REGISTRATION ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE MEDICAL COUNCIL DIRECTLY TO ASSESS QUALIFIED FOREIGN DIPLOMA HOLDERS FOR PRACTICE HERE, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WERE IN AN ADVANCED STAGE OF PREPARATION AND WERE LIKELY TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR-IN- COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION SHORTLY, HE SAID,

DR THING WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY MR T.S. LO, WHO ASKED WHY DOCTOR. QUALIFIED TO PRACTISE IN HIGHLY-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LIKE THE U.S.A. WERE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM PRACTISING IN HONG KONG AND WHAT ✶ERE THE EFFECTS OF THIS PROHIBITION, MEDICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

DR THONG EXPLAINED THAT AT PRESENT, THREE CATEGORIES OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS ARE ALLOWED TO BE PLACED ON THE REGISTER, NAMELY:

A) ANY PERSON WHO HOLDS A COLONY DIPLOMA, I.E., THE DEGREE

OF BACHELOR OF MEDICINE AND BACHELOR OF SURGERY (M.B.B.5.) OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG,

B)

ANY PERSON WHO HOLDS A QUALIFICATION OR DEGREE RECOGNISED BY THE GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL (G.M.C.) OF THE UNITED KINGDOM; AND

C) ANY LICENTIATE OF THE MEDICAL COUNCIL OF HONG KONG.

DR THONG SAID THAT ANY PERSON, BESIDES HONG KONG UNIVERSITY GRADUATES COULD ALSO BE PLACED ON THE REGISTER LOCALLY ON SATISFYING THE UK GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL OR THE LICENTIATE COMMITTEE OF THE HONG KONG MEDICAL COUNCIL.

/DOCTORS QUALIFIED