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THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1975
MISS KO ALSO URGED THAT MORE USE BE MADE OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE - AN AREA OF GREAT POTENTIAL WAITING TO BE TAPPED AND EXPLORED. BESIDES ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE TO WORK TOWARDS A FULLER LIFE AND TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY, SHE SAID, USING MORE VOLUNTEER WORKERS IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SERVICE WOULD MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN SOME EXISTING PROGRAMMES AND CARRY OUT SOME PLANNED PROJECTS IN A MORE ECONOMICAL WAY.
REGARDING THE NECESSITY OF INCREASING REVENUE BY RAISING TAXES, FEES AND CHARGES, MISS KO SAID IT IS WISE NOT TO ADD TOO MUCH BURDEN ON THOSE WHO ARE IN THE LOWER INCOME BRACKET.+
SHE QUOTED THE ECONOMIC BACKGROUND TO THE 1975/76 BUDGET WHICH PUT THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED AT THE END OF 1973 AT ABOUT 100,000 AND INDICATED A FURTHER INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT IN 1974.
BECAUSE OF THE APPARENT UNEMPLOYMENT SITUATION, GREAT PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND OTHER SPHERES OF EMPLOYMENT. IT IS NECESSARY TO TAP ALL POSSIBLE RESOURCES, INCLUDING LOANS TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ALL ENDEAVOURS IN THIS ASPECT, SHE SAID,
SHE ADDED. ALTHOUGH WE ARE FACING WORLD ECONOMIC RECESSION, IF WE EARNESTLY ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, CONSIDER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMMES AS HIGH PRIORITIES, AND HELP PROTECT THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE LOWER INCOME BRACKET, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS A MORE STABLE AND HEALTHIER ECONOMY IN THE LONG TERM.
+I HOPE THE PROPOSED INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THE OTHER AUTHORITIES CONCERNED WILL TAKE THESE POINTS INTO CONSIDERATION IN THEIR TASKS.^
MISS KO COMMENDED THE CONSUMER COUNCIL FOR ITS SUCCESS IN CONTROLLING PRICES AND FIGHTING PROFITEERING, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO EMPHASIS MORE ON PROMOTING CONSUMER EDUCATION.
SHE HOPED THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE ECONOMIC BRANCH OF THE COLONIAL SECRETARIAT WOULD WORK CLOSER TOGETHER SO THAT THE COUNCIL COULD MAKE A MORE EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION IN RESPECT OF ISSUES AFFECTING CONSUMERS IN HONG KONG.+
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