XN000022-1993-02-13 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1993

AS REGARDS CRITICISMS THAT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS SHEDDING ITS ENFORCEMENT AND TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FACTORY INSPECTORATE DIVISION THIS YEAR WAS TO CONTINUE STRICT ENFORCEMENT ON HAND-DUG CAISSON SAFETY BY MOUNTING SPECIAL INSPECTION CAMPAIGNS IN ADDITION TO ROUTINE INSPECTIONS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT DURING A TWO-PHASE SPECIAL INSPECTION CAMPAIGN ON CONSTRUCTION SITES LAST YEAR, FACTORY INSPECTORS INSPECTED A TOTAL OF 422 CONSTRUCTION SITES INCLUDING 39 CAISSON SITES.

AS A RESULT, 475 SUMMONSES WERE ISSUED INCLUDING 30 AGAINST 19 CAISSON SITES.

MEANWHILE, THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TRAINING CENTRE HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO ORGANISE FREE TRAINING COURSES ON CAISSON SAFETY.

IN FACT, THREE ADDITIONAL TRAINING COURSES WERE ARRANGED LAST AUGUST TO MEET THE OVERWHELMING ENROLMENT.

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MERGER IS GOOD FOR YAU TSIM AND MONG KOK: DO

THE PROPOSED MERGER OF THE MONG KOK AND YAU TSIM DISTRICT BOARDS WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF BOTH DISTRICTS, YAU TSIM/MONG KOK DISTRICT OFFICER, MR BART IRELAND, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE MONG KOK DISTRICT SPRING RECEPTION, MR IRELAND SAID THE NEW, LARGER DISTRICT BOARD WOULD BECOME EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE AS IT WOULD COMBINE THE EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION OF MEMBERS FROM BOTH DISTRICTS.

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DESPITE THE MERGER, HE STRESSED THAT FUNDS WOULD NOT BE PROBLEM AS AN ADDITIONAL 50 PER CENT OR $6 MILLION HAS BREN EARMARKED FOR THE COMING YEAR.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE IN THE DISTRICTS' 11 AREA COMMITTEES.

"I SHALL STILL APPOINT THE MEMBERS AND YOU WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ ELECT YOUR OWN CHAIRMAN. YOU WILL STILL HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE

TO PLAY IN DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, IN TACKLING AND RESOLVING ISSUES WITHIN YOUR AREA WITH THE SAME DEDICATION AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN."

MR IRELAND ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON DRAFT LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE SET OUT BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY SPEECH AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OCTOBER.

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"THE LEGISLATIVE