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FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1980
+MR PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTION, FELLOW GUESTS, I BELIEVE I HAVE SAID ENOUGH! MORE THAN ENOUGH YOU MAY THINK? CERTAINLY ENOUGH HOPE TO ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG IN MANY SPHERES. I HAVE HARDLY MENTIONED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND HAVE SAID NOTHING, FOR INSTANCE, ON THE MAJOR NEW ELECTRIC POWER STATIONS NOW BEING BUILT. I HAVE NOT MENTIONED THE MATTER OF GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION OF THE INSTITUTION AS A QUALIFYING BODY (ALTHOUGH I DO PROMISE AN ANSWER SOON) I HAVE NOT MENTIONED SIR MONTY FINNISTON AND HIS RECOMMENDATIONS ALTHOUGH OF COURSE I AGREE THAT GOVERNMENT HAS A NEED FOR A THRIVING AND ACTIVE INSTITUTION TO - TO USE YOUR OWN WORDS MR PRESIDENT TO ASSIST BOTH IN DETERMINING THE FUTURE OF ENGINEERING IN HONG KONG AND IN NURTURING, REGULATING AND DISCIPLINING THE FUTURE HONG KONG ENGINEERS. BUT I CAN SAY THAT HONG KONG IS PROUD OF THE CONTRIBUTION TO ITS GROWTH AND TO ITS WELL- BEING THAT HAS BEEN MADE BY YOUR PROFESSION, AND IT HOPES WILL LONG CONTINUE TO BE MADE. IN TOKEN OF THIS
IN TOKEN OF THIS. I ASK MY FELLOW GUESTS TO BE UPSTANDING AND TO DRINK A TOAST TO THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS AND ITS FUTURE GOOD HEALTH AND VITALITY.+
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SPENDING TO REACH $550 MILLION IN 1983-84 *****
THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES IN 1983-84 IS ESTIMATED TO REACH ABOUT $550 MILLION, REPRESENTING AN EIGHT-FOLD INCREASE OVER 1973-74, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND WEST, MR LEE SAID PROVISION FOR THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR AMOUNTS TO $475.6 MILLION, OF WHICH $221,3 MILLION WILL BE SPENT ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND $264.3 MILLION ON SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES.
HE SAID SOCIAL SECURITY HAS COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE OLD DAYS OF DRY RATIONS AND HAS DEVELOPED SINCE 1971 INTO THE PRESENT CONGLOMERATION OF CASH ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, HE SAID, ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO MEET BASIC LIVING, SPECIAL NEEDS ARISING OUT OF OLD AGE AND DISABILITY, HARDSHIP RESULTING FROM NATURAL DISASTERS AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, AND CLAIMS BY VICTIMS OF CRIMES OF VIOLENCE.
AS FROM NEXT MONTH, MR LEE SAID TWO FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED THE EXTENSION OF THE DISABILITY ALLOWANCE TO THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF, AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A DISABILITY SUPPLEMENT UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR THE PARTIALLY DISABLED.
BOTH ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE EXTRA SUPPORT, ON TOP OF THE NORMAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PAYMENT FOR BASIC LIVING, TO THE DISABLED AND THEIR FAMILY TO MEET SPECIAL NEEDS, HE SAID.
THEY WILL BENEFIT AN ESTIMATED 3 800 PROFOUNDLY DEAF PEOPLE WITH A HEARING LOSS OF 85 DECIBELS AND AN ESTIMATED 1 000 PARTIALLY DISABLED PEOPLE WITH A 50 PER CENT LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY, HE ADDED.
/REVIEWING SOCIAL