MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1977
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID THAT THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN THE GREEN PAPER WERE MADE FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF THE HONG KONG'S SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY AND PROGRAMMES.
+ THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCLUSION OF THIS REVIEW IS THAT THE PRESENT AIM OF SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY - TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES - IS RIGHT. +
ACCORDINGLY, HE ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO ALTER THE PRESENT BASIS OF SOCIAL SECURITY POLICY BUT TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE.
+THE PROPOSALS, IF APPROVED, WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, STARTING FROM APRIL 1978. ON TOP OF THE ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS AT $250 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, THE TOTAL COST OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROPOSALS FOR THE YEAR 1978/79 WOULD BE IN THE ORDER OF $65 MILLION RISING TO AROUND $188 MILLION IN 1982/83. EXPENDITURE ON THE CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME WOULD BE ADDITIONAL.+
IN DETERMINING THE PRIORITIES OF SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT, MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST IN, OR CONCERN WITH, SOCIAL WELFARE MATTERS.
+THE NEED FOR CONSULTATION APPLIES WITH PARTICULAR FORCE TO THE SICKNESS, INJURY AND DEATH BENEFIT SCHEME AS THIS WOULD BE A SEMI-VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME. IT NEEDS TO BE ASSURED OF A FAIR MEASURE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT BEFORE IT IS LAUNCHED, HE ADDED,
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO COMMENT ARE ASKED TO DO SO BEFORE THE END OF MARCH NEXT YEAR. COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, 7TH FLOOR, MAIN WING, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
COPIES OF THE GREEN PAPER IN BOTH ENGLISH AND CHINESE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE VARIOUS CITY DISTRICT OFFICES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON, THE DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE MARKETING OFFICE, GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES AT 1A, GARDEN ROAD, HONG KONG.
A PAMPHLET SUMMAR ISING THE MAIN PROPOSALS OF THE GREEN PAPER HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FOR EASY REFERENCE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. COPIES OF THE PAMPHLET ARE NOW OBTAINABLE FROM ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREA, DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ALL SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS AND FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
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