XN000022-1987-01-21 — Page 36

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987

+GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY OVERCROWDING OF DWELLING BOATS IN TYPHOON SHELTERS.

+IN ADDITION TO THE FIRE RISKS CREATED BY THIS PHENOMENON, THE BOATS OCCUPY VALUABLE TYPHOON SHELTER SPACE AND THEY ALSO GENERATE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HYGIENE PROBLEMS,+ HE SAID.

+IN ORDER TO CONTAIN THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM, ALL TYPHOON SHELTERS WERE GAZETTED AS PRESCRIBED AREAS IN 1985-86,+ HE ADDED.

MR LIAO SAID ALL EXISTING DWELLING BOATS IN THE SHELTERS WERE LICENSED AND NO NEW DWELLING BOATS WERE ALLOWED TO ENTER.

ON THE QUESTION OF THE PROVISION OF FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT ON DWELLING BOATS, MR LIAO SAID THIS WAS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF BOAT DWELLERS.

+HOWEVER, MOST DWELLING BOATS HAVE ON BOARD SOME FORM OF FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT SUCH AS FIRE BUCKETS, BLANKETS ETC. WHICH ARE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH SMALL DOMESTIC FIRES.

+THE FIRE BOATS OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT PATROL DAILY THE FAIRWAYS AND FIRE ACCESS, HE SAID.

FIRE PREVENTION BROADCASTS AND FIRE EXERCISES WERE ALSO CONDUCTED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND PAMPHLETS ON FIRE SAFETY MEASURES WERE PLACED IN THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S LICENSING OFFICES FOR YEAR-ROUND DISTRIBUTION.

+ADDITIONALLY, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS LIAISING WITH BOAT DWELLERS AND FISHERMEN REPRESENTATIVES TO ADVISE THEM TO ACQUIRE FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR DWELLING VESSELS, MR LIAO ADDED.

WELFARE SERVICE PREMISES PROCESSING TO BE IMPROVED

*****

CO-ORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS FOR PROCESSING PROJECTS INVOLVING SPACE IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS ALLOCATED FOR WELFARE SERVICES HAS CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ROSANNA TAM, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE PROCEDURES WERE NOW BEING REVISED WITH A VIEW TO MAKING FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

/HE SAID