TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1979
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OVER $2,220 MILLION SPENT ON SOCIAL WELFARE IN 1970'S
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THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL WELFARE SINCE THE TURN OF THE DECADE AMOUNTED TO OVER $2,220 MILLION, WITH THE PROVISION OF $660 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR BEING 15 TIMES THE FIGURE FOR 1970-71.
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID THIS TODAY (TUESDAY) WHILE REVIEWING THE MAJOR SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENTS IN HIS ADDRESS AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE DIRECTORS OF PO LEUNG KUK.
MR. LEE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN SPENDING A LOT MORE ON SOCIAL WELFARE AS A RESULT OF DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT ON ALL FRONTS.
FOR SUBVENTION ALONE, HE SAID, THE PROVISION IS ABOUT NINE TIMES BIGGER, RISING FROM $12.4 MILLION IN 1970-71 TO A STAGGER I NG $117 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
ON THE INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, MR. LEE SAID THAT WHILE IT COULD POSE A STRAIN ON HONG KONG'S WELFARE SERVICES, IT WAS AN UNFORESEEN DEVELOPMENT WHICH WAS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN INITIAL PLANNING.
HE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING QUALITY OF WELFARE SERVICES AND TO ENSURE THAT THESE SERVICES FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE NOT AFFECTED.
+ IT IS HOPED THAT UNDER THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, APPROPRIATE WAYS COULD BE FOUND TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM CONFRONTING US, HE SAID.
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GIVING A CHRONOLOGICAL RUN-DOWN OF THE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE 1970'S, MR. LEE SAID THE YEAR 1970-71 WAS BEST REMEMBERED FOR THE SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK TRAINING AND SOCIAL SECURITY.
HE SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE AND DAY NURSERY WAS OPENED TO ASSIST WITH THE TRAINING OF WORKERS ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF WELFARE SERVICES.
A FIRM PACE WAS ALSO SET FOR FUTURE PLANNING WHEN THE HONORARY PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK, DAME EILEEN YOUNGHUSBAND, CAME HERE TO ADVISE ON THE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS, HE SAID.
/IN EARLY 1971,