XN000022-1993-10-13 — Page 32

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1993

FILIPINO DRIVERS IN HONG KONG

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TWO MALE PERSONS FROM THE PHILIPPINES HAVE BEEN ADMITTED INTO HONG KONG UNDER THE IMPORTATION OF LABOUR SCHEME FOR EMPLOYMENT AS DRIVERS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE SAMUEL WONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

BARMA, HON

MR BARMA SAID THEY WERE REQUIRED ΤΟ TAKE DRIVING TESTS CONDUCTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING LICENCES) REGULATIONS.

THEY BOTH PASSED THE TESTS AND WERE ISSUED WITH A DRIVING LICENCE BEFORE TAKING UP EMPLOYMENT.

FILIPINOS

THE

MR BARMA SAID THE SAME REQUIREMENT WOULD APPLY ΤΟ COMING ΤΟ HONG KONG FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AS DRIVERS UNDER IMPORTATION OF LABOUR SCHEME IN FUTURE.

PENALTIES FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY OFFENCES TO GO UP

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THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO RAISE SUBSTANTIALLY THE PENALTIES FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE THEIR DETERRENT EFFECT.

THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID THE CURRENT MAXIMUM FINES FOR THE OFFENCES, RANGING FROM $5,000 TO $50,000 PLUS 12 MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT, WERE CONSIDERED GENERALLY TOO LOW AS MOST OF THE MAXIMUM FINES HAD NOT BEEN REVISED SINCE 1981.

HE WAS MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS (AMENDMENT} BILL 1993 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

UNDER THE BILL, THE NEW MAXIMUM FINE IS $10,000 FOR MINOR OFFENCES, $50,000 FOR SERIOUS OFFENCES, AND $200,000 WITH OR WITHOUT IMPRISONMENT FOR VERY SERIOUS OFFENCES.

MR LEUNG EXPLAINED THAT "MINOR OFFENCES" WERE MAINLY TECHNICAL BREACHES OF STATUTORY PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS FAILURE TO KEEP RECORDS OF REGISTERS, ABSENCE OF STATUTORY WARNING NOTICES OR SIGNS.

"SERIOUS OFFENCES" INVOLVE RELATIVELY SERIOUS BREACHES OF SAFETY REGULATIONS, BUT NORMALLY NOT CAUSING VERY SERIOUS BODILY HARM. THESE INCLUDE FAILURE TO MARK THE MAXIMUM SPEED OF ABRASIVE WHEELS OR POOR WORKPLACE LIGHTING.

/"VERY SERIOUS