XN000022-1992-03-16 — Page 6

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MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1992

THE

DETAILED

ANALYSIS OF LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS IS GIVEN IN REPORT ON THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY WHICH IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR.

BE

THE NEXT REPORT COVERING THE QUARTER ENDING DECEMBER 1991 WILL AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AROUND MARCH 20 AT $13.5 PER COPY.

0

SWAC RECOMMENDS CHANGES TO PROPOSED LAW FOR ELDERLY HOMES

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MEMBERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SWAC) TODAY (MONDAY) RECOMMENDED THAT REVISIONS SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO REGULATE RESIDENTIAL CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY,

SPEAKING AT THE SWAC MEETING, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE MR ANTHONY CHAN SAID THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT (FSD) AND THE BUILDINGS AND LANDS DEPARTMENT HAD ADVISED THAT MOST EXISTING RESIDENTIAL CARE AND ATTENTION HOME PREMISES COULD NOT MEET STATUTORY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS.

HE SAID AN OVERALL ANALYSIS ON THE EXISTING PRIVATE HOME PREMISES CONDUCTED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT EARLY THIS YEAR INDICATED THAT OUT OF THE 348 PRIVATE HOMES, 182 HOMES WITH A TOTAL ENROLMENT OF 6,380 RESIDENTS COULD NOT COMPLY WITH STATUTORY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS.

IN VIEW OF THE IDENTIFIED PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORIGINAL SCHEME, SWAC MEMBERS RECOMMENDED THE FOLLOWING REVISION:

* THERE SHOULD BE ONLY ONE SET OF LICENSING STANDARDS, THAT IS,

PHASE II STANDARDS;

FOR

* UPON THE ENACTMENT OF THE LEGISLATION, ALL APPLICATIONS

LICENCES OR CERTIFICATES OF EXEMPTION WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE FSD FOR INSPECTION FIRST;

* LICENCKS WOULD ONLY BE GRANTED TO HOMES COMPLYING FULLY WITH BUILDING AND FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, AND PHASE II STANDARDS;

* EXISTING HOMES WHICH FAIL то MEET ANY OF THE PRESCRIBED REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE GRANTED CERTIFICATES OF EXEMPTION FOR A PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN THREE YEARS;

* THE EXEMPTION PERIOD WOULD VARY ACCORDING TO THE DEGREE OF

COMPLIANCE WITH VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS;

/* THE DIRECTOR