THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977
+
EXTENSION OF INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE SCHEME ADVOCATED
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DR. THE HON, HENRY HU TODAY ADVOCATED THE EXTENSION OF THE INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE SCHEME TO INCLUDE PEOPLE IN HOMES FOR THE AGED AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS.
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HE SAID THAT THEIR NEED FOR A PERSONAL ALLOWANCE WAS JUST AS GREAT AS THOSE LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY.
I
DR. HU SAID THAT SINCE THE SCHEME AS NON-MEANS-TESTED, HE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT AGE SHOULD BE THE ONLY CRITERION FOR ELIGIBILITY.
HE WAS GLAD TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME CONSIDERATION MIGHT BE GIVEN TO LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THE INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE.
WHILE WELCOMING THE INCREASED BENEFITS IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES AS ANNOUNCED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH, DR. HU WAS CRITICAL OF THE PROVISION OF $68 MILLION FOR SUBVENTIONS TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN 1977-78.
ALTHOUGH IT SHOWED AN INCREASE OF $12 MILLION OVER THE FIGURE OF THE CURRENT YEAR, HE SAID, IT WAS +UNHEALTHILY INADEQUATE.+
HE ESTIMATED THAT NO LESS THAN 10 MILLION WOULD HAVE TO BE SPENT ON EXISTING SERVICES AND ON THE IMPLEMENTION OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE, LEAVING A MEAGRE $2 MILLION FOR EXPANSION PURPOSES.+
+ THIS AMOUNT IS RIDICULOUSLY INADEQUATE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMITTED NEW PROJECTS FOR THE YEAR 1977-78, LET ALONE THE RESUMPTION OF PROJECTS WHICH HAVE BEEN ABANDONED DURING THE YEARS OF RECESSION,+ HE SAID.
DR. HU EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT SALARIES PAID TO WORKERS IN SUBVENTED WELFARE ORGANISATIONS.
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE QUALITY AND CONTINUITY OF SERVICE IN THESE ORGANISATIONS, HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT +TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY IN PAYING THE FULL SALARIES OF WORKERS IN ALL SUBVENTED VOLUNTARY WELFARE CRGANISATIONS, WHICH SHOULD BE EQUAL TO THE SALARIES OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE IF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES ARE COMPARABLE. +
HE ALSO ASKED THAT PROVISION BE MADE FOR ADJUSTING THEIR SALARIES WHENEVER CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE THEIR ADJUSTED.
TURNING TO HOUSING, DR. HU WAS DELIGHTED TO LEARN THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS PROPOSING TO INVITE PRIVATE REAL-ESTATE DEVELOPERC TO JOIN WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PROMOTION OF THE HOME
OWNERSHIP SCHEME.
/HOWEVER,