XN000022-1987-04-26 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 1987

AT THE SAME TIME, MR SHEARMAN SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD TO ENSURE THAT THE FACILITIES INSIDE THE TERMINAL - WHICH ARE AMONG

THESE THE MOST ADVANCED IN THE WORLD - WERE WORKING PROPERLY. RANGED FROM BERTHING CONTROL EQUIPMENT, SAILING INFORMATION DISPLAYS AND SECURITY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS TO ESCALATORS, LIGHTING AND THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE, ACCORDING TO MR SHEARMAN, WAS THE PLANNING OF PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

THE DEPARTMENT WAS REVIEWING SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR THE TERMINAL, HE ADDED.

HE ALSO SAID AN EVACUATION EXERCISE WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS TO FAMILIARISE STAFF OF FERRY COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WITH WAYS OF ESCORTING PASSENGERS SAFELY FROM THE TERMINAL BUILDING IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

MR SHEARMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE MACAU FERRY TERMINAL WAS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER BUILDINGS SUCH AS THE HUNG HOM RAILWAY STATION WHERE PEOPLE COULD DISPERSE SIMPLY BY LEAVING THE BUILDING AS SOON AS THEY REACHED THE GROUND FLOOR.

IN CASE OF THE TERMINAL, MR SHEARMAN SAID PEOPLE WOULD EVACUATE OVER THE TWO LINKING BRIDGES TO THE SHUN TAK CENTRE OR TO THE OUTER PIER WHERE THEY COULD BE RESCUED EITHER BY HELICOPTER FROM THE ROOF OR BY VESSELS BERTHED ALONGSIDE.

IN ADDITION, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS A CLOSE LIAISON WITH THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHERE THE TERMINAL STAFF ARE TRAINED IN THE USE OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND APPLIANCES, HE ADDED.

+WHAT'S MORE, THERE IS ALWAYS A NUCLEUS GROUP OF ABOUT 6 MARINE DEPARTMENT STAFF ON SHIFT DUTY TO OFFER HELP WHENEVER NECESSARY+, MR SHEARMAN SAID.

SUBSIDY AVAILABLE FOR CIVIC EDUCATION PROJECTS

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ABOUT HALF-A-MILLION DOLLARS HAD BEEN SET ASIDE BY THE COMMITTEE ON PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION TO SUBSIDISE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROJECTS ON CIVIC EDUCATION THIS YEAR.

+THIS IS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THE SCHEME LAST YEAR,+ CONVENOR OF THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION GROUP OF THE COMMITTEE, MR MAK HOI-WAH SAID.

/+THE INCREASE ................