XN000022-1987-03-02 — Page 13

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MONDAY, MARCH 2, 1987

AT A PREVIOUS LAB MEETING, MEMBERS HAD DISCUSSED AND ENDORSED IN PRINCIPLE THE CONTROL AND LABELLING OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES IN INDUSTRY. TODAY MEMBERS WERE FURTHER BRIEFED ON THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS INCLUDING A LIST OF ABOUT 230 DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES COMMONLY USED IN INDUSTRY AND THE STANDARD OF LABELLING.

ON A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE ON MATERNITY LEAVE, MEMBERS ENDORSED THE PROPOSALS TO ENABLE A PREGNANT WORKER TO SERVE NOTICE OF HER INTENTION TO TAKE MATERNITY LEAVE TO HER EMPLOYER AT ANY TIME AFTER HER PREGNANCY HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER, AND TO PREVENT EITHER PARTY TO SERVE NOTICE OF TERMINATION DURING THE PERIOD OF MATERNITY LEAVE, EXCEPT BY MUTUAL CONSENT. HOWEVER, MEMBERS AGREED THAT THE EXISTING SIX-WEEK POST-NATAL LEAVE SHOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

AS REGARDS OVERTIME WORK FOR WOMEN IN INDUSTRY, MEMBERS SUPPORTED THAT THE LIMIT OF 48 HOURS OF WORK PER WEEK BE CHANGED TO 96 HOURS IN ANY PERIOD OF TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS AND THAT EMPLOYERS BE GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITY TO CALCULATE OVERTIME WORK BY REFERENCE TO THE UNDERTAKING, OR TO DIFFERENT PARTS AND SETS OF THE UNDERTAKINGS, OR TO INDIVIDUAL WOMAN WORKERS.

LASTLY, THE BOARD STUDIED A PAPER ON THE REVIEW OF THE LONG SERVICE PAYMENT PROVISIONS UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE. HOWEVER IN ORDER TO GIVE MEMBERS MORE TIME TO STUDY THE PAPER, IT WAS AGREED THAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING IN APRIL.

BLACK BEAR IN GOOD CARE ***

THE YOUNG ASIATIC BLACK BEAR WHICH CAME INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY, HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY VETERINARY STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT AND FOUND CLINICALLY TO BE IN VERY GOOD HEALTH.

THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICER, DR NORMAN CHENG, SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE ANIMAL WAS VERY ACTIVE AND WAS DOING WELL IN THE SHEK WÚ HUI KENNEL. IT WAS IN GOOD CARE AND APPEARED TO BE UNDISTURBED BY ITS CAPTIVITY.

+DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF ANY PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF ILL HEALTH, THE BEAR WILL BE PLACED UNDER CLOSE OBSERVATION FOR A SHORT PERIÓD OF TIME DURING WHICH REGULAR INSPECTION WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY OUR VETERINARY OFFICERS.

+UNTIL THEN, A DECISION WILL BE MADE AS TO WHETHER THE ANIMAL WILL BE REPATRIATED BACK TO CHINA WHERE IT EVIDENTLY CAME FROM OR SENT TO AN OVERSEAS COUNTRY WHERE A SUITABLE HOME WILL BE FOUND FOR IT, HE SAID.

THE ASIATIC BLACK BEAR IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTED UNDER THE ANIMALS AND PLANTS (PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES) ORDINANCE. ANY ILLEGAL IMPORT, EXPORT OR POSSESSION OF THE SPECIES WILL BE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 000 FOR A FIRST OFFENCE, AND TO $10 000 PLUS IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS FOR A REPEATED OFFENCE.

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