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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1980
MRS CHAN ILLUSTRATED THE EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES IN WELFARE SERVICES BY CITING THE THREE PROGRAMME PLANS AND FIVE GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS DRAWN UP IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITH THE CLOSE INVOLVEMENT OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.
+OUR STAFF SIT ON NEARLY 60 EXECUTIVE, MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE COMMITTEES OF AGENCIES, AND ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THEM ON OVER 130 WORKING GROUPS, STEERING AND COORDINATING COMMITTEES ON SPECIFIC WELFARE ISSUES, SHE SAID.
A FURTHER PROOF OF CLOSE COOPERATION IS THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE FIVE-YEAR SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, SHE ADDED.
THIS REVIEW, SHE EXPLAINED, EXTENDS OVER SEVERAL MONTHS AND MEETINGS ARE ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNCIL, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW PROGRESS, DETERMINÉ FUTURE TARGETS AND SEEK SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS.
+ALTHOUGH THE FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND TARGETS MAY NOT REPRESENT WHAT IDEALLY THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR WOULD WISH TO SEE PROVIDED IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD, THERE IS A COMMON APPRECIATION OF THE CONSTRAINTS THAT EXIST AND A WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING FORWARD,+ SHE SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT VALUES THESE REVIEW MEETINGS AND BELIEVES THAT VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHARE THIS FEELING, SHE ADDED.
MRS CHAN EMPHASISED THAT CONSULTATION DID NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY TOTAL AGREEMENT.
SHE SAID ALL CONSULTATION HAD TO COME TO AN END SOONER OR LATER, AND WHERE AGREEMENT WAS NOT POSSIBLE, THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO TAKE A FINAL DECISION BASED ON ITS BEST JUDGEMENT AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
THIS, SHE ADDED, IS USUALLY DONE ON THE ADVICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE WHERE REHABILITATION SERVICES ARE CONCERNED.
MRS CHAN SAID THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF DISCRETIONARY GRANTS PROVIDED A RIPE GROUND FOR ARGUMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR.
A GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY HAS RECENTLY PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SUBVENTION SYSTEM DESIGNED TO OVERCOME EXISTING SHORTCOMINGS AND TO PROVIDE A MORE SECURE BASIS ON WHICH AGENCIES CAN PLAN SERVICES AND RECRUIT STAFF, SHE SAID.
/SHE EXPLAINED