XN000022-1992-03-27 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 1992

BUILDING AUTHORITY'S

"THE REQUIREMENT AIMS TO ENSURE THAT THE RECORDS ARE UP-TO-DATE AND THE REGISTERED CONTRACTORS ARE INDEED PRACTISING THEIR TRADE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

ון

OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE BILL WILL INCLUDE:

* STRENGTHENING OF THE BUILDING AUTHORITY'S POWERS TO REMOVE

PROJECTIONS OVER STREETS;

THE

COSTS

OF

INTEND.

RECOVER * EMPOWERING THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TO

ABORTIVE VISITS MADE BY GOVERNMENT'S CONTRACTORS TO CARRY OUT WORKS ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDING AUTHORITY; AND

ORDINANCE

* AUTHORISING THE BUILDINGS

OFFICE ΤΟ DESTROY OR DISPOSE OF PLANS AND OTHER BUILDING DOCUMENTS AFTER MICROFILMING.

THE BILL WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL NEXT

MONTH.

0

MORE PROTECTION AGAINST CHILD ABUSE

THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1992 WHICH SEEKS TO WIDEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A CHILD MAY BE CONSIDERED TO BE IN NEED OF CARE OR PROTECTION WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

UNDER THE PROPOSED BILL, THE EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED AS GROUNDS FOR CARE OR PROTECTION.

COMMENTING ON THE BILL, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE BILL AIMED ΤΟ BRING THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE MORE IN LINE WITH COMMUNITY VALUES AND ATTITUDES ON THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE.

"THERE IS NOW MUCH GREATER AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING IN THE COMMUNITY OF THE PROBLEM OF CHILD ABUSE THAN BEFORE, AND THE PROCEDURES FOR DEALING WITH CHILD ABUSE CASES NEED TO BE REVIEWED AND REFINED," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

"THE WIDELY PUBLICISED KWOK AH NUI CASE HAS HAD A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON THE PRESENT REVIEW.

"IT ILLUSTRATED THE INFLEXIBLE NATURE OF THE POWERS OF INTERVENTION AND INVESTIGATION VESTED IN THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE UNDER THE ORDINANCE AND THE PROBLEM OF THE DEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE, HE SAID.

H

THE BILL THEREFORE SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE WITH MORE FLEXIBLE POWERS OF INTERVENTION AND INVESTIGATION WITHOUT ALWAYS HAVING TO FIRST REMOVE A CHILD FROM HOME.

/THE DIRECTOR