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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1983

WORKER WAGE SECURITY FUND PLANNED

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THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE A PROPOSAL TO SET UP A WAGE SECURITY FUND FOR EMPLOYEES OF COMPANIES IN LIQUIDATION, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SIR EDWARD ALSO SAID THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD WAS NOW FINALISING ITS PROPOSALS FOR AN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF SEVERANCE PAY.

HE SAID THAT THE FIRST PROPOSAL WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE WORKING GROUP ON THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY EMPLOYEES OF COMPANIES IN RECEIVERSHIP WHICH WAS SET UP LAST YEAR.

+THESE PROPOSALS RESPOND TO PUBLIC CONCERN THAT THERE SHOULD BE BETTER PROTECTION FOR EMPLOYEES, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT AN AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO IMPROVE SICKNESS BENEFITS HAD BEEN INTRODUCED BUT

ITS SECOND READING HAD BEEN DEFERRED FOR COMMENT FROM EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

+CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL WILL BE RESUMED IN THE CURRENT SESSION IN THE LIGHT OF THESE COMMENTS, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE ENVIRONMENT, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT IN A CHOWDED URBAN COMMUNITY SUCH AS HONG KONG, WHICH RELIED HEAVILY ON MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WAS BOUND TC CAUSE PROBLEMS UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY WERE DETERMINED TO PREVENT IT.

+DURING THE PAST YEAR ANOTHER MILESTONE WAS READY WITH THE ENACTMENT OF THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE. THIS ORDINANCE WAS BROUGHT INTO FORCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, REPLACING AND WIDENING THE SCOPE OF THE CLEAN AIR ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD SAID PARTICULAR ATTENTION HAD BEEN PAID TO WATER POLLUTION - CONTROLS ON DISCHARGES INTO TOLO HARBOUR, THE FIRST WATER CONTROL ZONE IN THE TERRITORY, WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO FORCE

IN 1984.

HE ADDED THAT COMPLEMENTARY PLANS WERE BEING DRAWN UP TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC TYPES OF WATER POLLUTION, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BEING ANIMAL WASTE, UPON WHICH A MAJOR CONSULTANCY WAS COMPLETED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH WOULD SOON BE STUDIED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

BETTER SERVICES FOR DISABLED CHILDREN ***

THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, TODAY ANNOUNCED BETTER REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR CHILDREN.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT TO IMPROVE THE IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF DISABILITIES AT AN EARLY STAGE, THE NUMBER OF ASSESSMENT CENTRES WOULD BE INCREASED FROM THE EXISTING TWO TO EIGHT BY 1988.

/AT THE

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