TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1979
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+THERE ARE INCREASING SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES SUCH AS MORE COUNTRY PARKS, FOOTBALL PITCHES AND GAMES AREAS, SPORTS AND CULTURAL COMPLEXES, INDOOR GAMES HALLS AND PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL COMPLEXES,+ HE SAID.
IN ADDITION, HE ADDED, THERE WERE NOW 108 YOUTH CENTRES AND 99 CHILDREN'S CENTRES TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN WORTHWHILE ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS.
ON RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR THE ELDERLY, MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT THE PROVISION OF INSTITUTIONS WAS NO EASY TASK AS IT INVOLVED THE GRANT OF LAND, FUND-RAISING AND STAFFING, AND IT USUALLY TOOK LONG AND PROGRESSIVE STEPS BEFORE A PROJECT MATERIALISED.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE SAID, HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION IN HOUSING ESTATES MUST NECESSARILY DEPEND ON PROGRESS OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME.
NEVERTHELESS, THE WHITE PAPER ENVISAGED PLANS TO EXPAND THE PROVISION OF CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, HOMES FOR THE AGED, HOSTELS AND PUBLIC HOUSING, AS WELL AS HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, HE SAID.
MR. LEE SAID THE INCREASING SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES NATURALLY DEMANDED A PARALLEL EFFORT IN DEVELOPING SUPPORTING SERVICES SUCH AS PLANNING, RESEARCH, EVALUATION AND TRAINING.
HE SAID THE FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN SETTING OUT THE ACTUAL PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT, WILL REMAIN THE BASIC INSTRUMENT OF PLANNING AND WILL BE REVIEWED EACH YEAR UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
+ IT PROVIDES AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF LEARNING ABOUT AND CO-ORDINATING THE INITIATIVES OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, MONITOR ING PROGRESS AND ADJUSTING PRIORITIES AGAINST CHANGING NEEDS,+ HE SAID.
THE CAPACITY OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPING FUTURE SERVICES HAS ALSO BEEN GREATLY STRENGTHENED TO PROVIDE A MORE CO-ORDINATED SYSTEM.
MR. LEE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS ATTACHED +GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES AS INCREASING FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED EACH YEAR FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION.+
WHILE THE WHITE PAPER'S PROGRAMME ENTAILED AN ESTIMATED $2,000 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL CAPITAL AND RECURRENT EXPENDITURE UP TO 1986-87, THE $630 MILLION PROVIDED FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR REPRESENTED A THREE-FOLD INCREASE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, HE SAID.
ON SOCIAL SECURITY ALONE, HE SAID, THE PROVISION OF $400 MILLION REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF NEARLY 500 PER CENT OVER THE $72 MILLION FIVE YEARS AGO.
IN ADDITION, THE WHITE PAPER ON REHABILITATION SERVICES PUBLISHED IN 1977 OUTLINED A MASSIVE PROGRAMME OF SERVICES COSTING ABOUT $1,760 MILLION UP TO 1985-86, HE ADDED.
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