XN000022-1986-11-26 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1986

+SUBJECT TO THE NECESSARY RESOURCES BEING AVAILABLE I HOPE THAT WE SHALL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA IN THE MEAN FUTURE,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID IT WAS NOT TRUE THAT THE ALLEGED RELUCTANCE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO ENFORCE THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PRIVATE OLD AGE HOMES DERIVED FROM ANY TACIT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE HOMES WITH THE OBJECT OF AVOIDING THE ADDITIONAL COST INVOLVED IN PROVIDING MORE SUBVENTED HOMES IF THE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS WERE FORCED TO CLOSE.

+ON THE ADVICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE THE PRIVATE HOMES AN OPPORTUNITY OF COMPLYING WITH THE CODE, BEFORE WE DECIDE WHETHER ANY FURTHER ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN.

+THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A YEAR'S TIME, HE SAID.

ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, MR CHAMBERS SAID HE HAD RECENTLY ISSUED DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS TO AMEND THE UNDESIRABLE MEDICAL ADVERTISEMENTS ORDINANCE TO FACILITATE PROSECUTIONS FOR OFFENCES UNDER THAT ORDINANCE.

REFERRING TO A SUGGESTION THAT A CENTRAL STATUTORY BODY SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED TO CO-ORDINATE THE MANY BOARDS AND COUNCILS WHICH EXISTED TO REGULATE THE VARIOUS MEDICAL AND PARAMEDICAL PROFESSIONS, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE BOARDS AND COUNCILS SECTION OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT ALREADY EXISTED TO SERVICE THESE BODIES WHICH WERE THEMSELVES STATUTORY.

+HOWEVER IT MAY BE THAT THE PRESENT MACHINERY FOR DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS AND PROSECUTING OFFENDERS NEEDS SOME STRENGTHENING AND 1 WILL CERTAINLY CONSIDER THIS WITH THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES,+ HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE POLLUTION PROBLEM, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE OBSERVATION THAT HONG KONG WAS A DECADE BEHIND IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION RECOGNISED THE FACT THAT YEARS OF RELATIVE NEGLECT HAD LEFT A BACKLOG OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS.

+NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT, AND THERE ARE ENCOURAGING SIGNS THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE IN GENERAL ARE BECOMING MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND ARE MUCH READIER TO COMPLAIN ABOUT POLLUTION AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS,+ HE SAID.

/HE NOTED