7
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22,
1975
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE: 'FINANCIAL COMMITMENT MUST BE MET"
X X X X X X
THE GOVERNMENT HAS A DUTY TO LOOK AFTER THE LESS WELL OFF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO ACCEPT THE HEAVY FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, THE HON. ROGER LOBO SAID TODAY.
+ IN MY VIEW IT IS MONEY WELL SPENT, HE SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE.
MR. LOBO WARNED, HOWEVER, THAT IF THE SCHEME WAS TO BENEFIT THOSE FOR WHOM IT WAS INTENDED, IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION WAS STRICTLY ENFORCED. +OTHERWISE, AS HAS HAPPENED ELSEWHERE, ABUSES WILL OCCUR WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS.+
HE FELT ALSO THAT MANY OF THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WERE NOT UP TO STANDARD OR ECONOMICALLY RUN, AND AGREED THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO EVALUATE THEIR WORK SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS NO DUPLICATION OF EFFORT.
+WHERE EVALUATION SHOWS THIS TO BE THE CASE,+ HE SAID, +THE ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO MERGE THEIR OPERATIONS WITH A VIEW TO RAISING STANDARDS AND, AT THE SAME TIME, REDUCING COSTS.+
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. SHOULD RE-EXAMINE DEFERRED SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS SO AS TO ESTABLISH A REVISED LIST OF PRIORITIES. HE WANTED HIGHEST PRIORITY GIVEN TO THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE WHICH HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDS.
ON THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY, MR. LOBO WELCOMED THE DECISION TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT AND SAID IT WOULD DO MUCH TO ENHANCE HONG KONG'S REPUTATION ABROAD AND OUR OWN CONF IDENCE, IN THE FUTURE.
HE APPEALED TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT AND PATIENCE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILWAY AND URGED THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION TO REDUCE INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
IT WAS VITALLY IMPORTANT, HE STRESSED, THAT THE PUBLIC BE KEPT FULLY INFORMED ON WHAT WAS BEING DONE AND WHY IT WAS BEING DONE SO AS TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS SUCH AS IN THE RECENT CASE INVOLVING THE REMOVAL OF A FOOTBRIGE IN LUNG CHEUNG ROAD.
/ON LAW AND ORDER
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