XN000022-1984-04-13 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1984

FLEXIBILITY SOUGHT IN SPECIAL TRAINING CASES

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THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES EMPOWERING THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, TO GRANT EXEMPTIONS FROM THE APPRENTICESHIP REGULATIONS.

THE APPRENTICESHIP (AMENDMENT) BILL 1984 PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY SEEKS TO PROVIDE FOR THIS BY AMENDING THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE.

THE ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS WERE ENACTED IN 1976 TO PROMOTE AND REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF APPRENTICES IN DESIGNATED TRADES.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY IN DEALING WITH EXCEPTIONAL SITUATIONS.

IT HAD BEEN FOUND, FOR INSTANCE, THAT THE REGULATIONS COVERING EMPLOYMENT HOURS OF REGISTERED APPRENTICES WERE PREVENTING APPRENTICES UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IN THE HOTEL COOK TRADE FROM RECEIVING TRAINING IN DINNER AND BANQUET PREPARATION.

SUCH TRAINING WAS CONSIDERED INDISPENSABLE BY EMPLOYERS, BUT IN MOST CASES WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE IN THE EVENING, AFTER 7 PM.

THE APPRENTICESHIP REGULATIONS PRESCRIBE THAT THE HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT OF APPRENTICES AGED 16 AND 17 SHOULD BE FROM 7 AM TO 7 PM. ONLY THOSE AGED 18 -AND ABOVE MAY, SUBJECT TO THE COMMISSIONER'S APPROVAL, WORK LATER HOURS.

THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL AGREED THAT TRAINING IN DINNER AND BANQUET PREPARATION WAS AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF APPRENTICE COOKS' TRAINING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

TO ENABLE THEM TO RECEIVE ALL NECESSARY TRAINING, THE COUNCIL CONSIDERED THAT, WHILE ALL OTHER CONDITIONS REMAINED UNCHANGED, THEIR HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT SHOULD BE EXTENDED.

ALTHOUGH SO FAR NO DIFFICULTIES HAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED WITH ANY OF THE OTHER APPRENTICESHIP REGULATIONS, UNFORESEEN PROBLEMS MIGHT ARISE IN FUTURE, AND IT WAS FELT THAT THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE SHOULD CONTAIN THE POWER TO ENABLE EXCEPTIONAL CASES TO BE TREATED FLEXIBLY.

+1 SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR HOWEVER THAT THERE IS NO INTENTION TO RELAX THE PRESENT APPRENTICESHIP REGULATIONS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/4 THE REGULATIONS