WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978
9 -
RENT ALLOWANCE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS
THE AD HOC GROUP OF UNOFFICIALS FELT THAT SINCE THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF PUBLIC HOUSING, A. PERSON SHOULD NOT BE PENALISED FOR HAVING TO LIVE IN PRIVATE RENTED PREMISES. THEY THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT INSTEAD OF BASING THE MAXIMUM RENT ALLOWANCE ON THE MAXIMUM CURRENT PUBLIC HOUSING RENT, IT WOULD BE MORE REALISTIC TO BASE IT ON, SAY, 150 PER CENT OF THE MAXIMUM CURRENT RENT.
CHRONIC SICKNESS ALLOWANCE
THE GROUP DISAGREED WITH THE GREEN PAPER THAT THIS ALLOWANCE SHOULD NOT BE PAID TO THOSE RECEIVING AN OLD AGE OR DISABILITY ALLOWANCE. THEY THOUGHT THAT CHRONIC SICKNESS IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NEED AND IF A PERSON SUFFERS FROM BOTH OLD AGE AND CHRONIC SICKNESS HE SHOULD GET BOTH FORMS OF HELP. THEY ALSO POINTED CUT THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO CLARIFY HOW THIS CHRONIC SICKNESS ALLOWANCE AND THE DISABILITY ALLOWANGE FITS IN WITH COMPENSATION UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE AND HOPED THAT THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR RATHER THAN IN OCTOBER 1979.
MRS, KWAN KO STU-WAH ADDED THAT 12 MONTHS AND NOT 18 FONTHS OF CHRONIC ILLNESS SHOULD ENTITLE A PERSON TO THE ALLOWANCE.
DISABILITY ALLOWANCE FOR THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF
FATHER MCGOVERN NOTED THAT THE AD HOC GROUP HAD EXAMINED THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST SUCH ALLOWANCE AND WAS UNANIMOUS IN STRONGLY RECOMMENDING THAT THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF BE INCLUDED IN THE DISABILITY ALLOWANCE SCHEME.
NOT TO CONSIDER
IT IS AS GRAVE
DR. FANG POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS WRONG PROFOUND DEAFNESS AS A SERIOUS DISABLEMENT. AS LOSS OF SIGHT OR LOSS OF USE OF LEGS AND PERMAPS MORE SO IN PEOPLE WHO ARE BORN DEAF BECAUSE THEY CANNOT EVEN SPEAK.
THE ARGUMENT THAT THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF LIKE THE
MEDIUM GRADE MENTALLY SUBNORMAL ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO TRAINING IS UNCONVINCING. THE BLIND ARE SOMETIMES EVEN
MORE RECEPTIVE THAN THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF TO SPECIAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING, FOR EXAMPLE, OPERATING TELEPHONES.
MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH HOPED AS WELL THAT THE MEDIUM GRADE MENTALLY RETARDED WOULD BE GIVEN DISABILITY ALLOWANCE.
OLD AGE ALLOWANCE
THE AD HOC GROUP FELT THAT THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE FOR THOSE AGED 70 TO 72 COULD PE INTRODUCED AT THE SAME TIME AS FOR
THOSE AGED 73 TO 74 IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. THEY SAW NO INSURMOUNTABLE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTY IN INTRODUCING THE ALLOWANCE IN ONE
STEP.