FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1980
SHE EXPLAINED THAT THE PROPOSED SYSTEM ENVISAGED THE GOVERNMENT MEETING THE FULL COST OF ALL ESSENTIAL AND NECESSARY SERVICES, UP TO A PRE-DETERMINED STANDARD.
AN ADDED ATTRACTION OF THE NEW SYSTEM, TO BE KNOWN AS THE +BASIC COST SUBVENTION SYSTEM, WAS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AN AGENCY'S OTHER INCOME, APART FROM FEE INCOME.
+AGENCIES SHOULD THEREFORE HAVE GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN MAKING USE OF SUCH INCOME TO IMPROVE SERVICES OR TO FINANCE NEW INITIATIVES, SHE SAID.
MRS CHAN SAID THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR WAS NOW STUDYING THE WORKING PARTY'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AT SOME FIRM CONCLUSIONS BY EARLY NEXT YEAR.
SHE BELIEVED A CODIFICATION OF PRACTICES AND SUBVENTION STANDARDS SHOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS CEMENTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
SHE STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR NEEDED THE GOVERNMENT.
CONSIDERING
*WE MUST THEREFORE LEARN TO LIVE WITH EACH OTHER ALL THE FORCES AT PLAY, I THINK WE HAVEN'T DONE AT ALL BADLY,+ SHE SAID.
PARTNERSHIP IS TWO-WAY, SHE SAID, AND IT CAN ONLY WORK IF BOTH PARTIES STRIVE TO FIND COMMON GROUND RATHER THAN DIG IN THEIR HEELS ON ENTRENCHED VIEWS, AND IF BOTH PARTIES ARE PREPARED TO FOREGO POLITICAL KUDOS" AND TO TOLERATE, IF NOT TO RESPECT, DIFFERENCES OF OPINION GENUINELY HELD.
ABORTION LAW AMENDMENT BILLS REPUBLISHED
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TWO BILLS AMENDING THE EXISTING LAW PERTAINING TO ABORTION AND RELATED OFFENCES, AND SUPPRESSING THE PUBLICATION OF ADVERTISEMENTS RELATING TO ILLEGAL ABORTIONS, WERE REPUBLISHED WITHOUT CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
THEY ARE THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 AND THE UNDESIRABLE MEDICAL ADVERTISEMENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980.
BOTH BILLS WERE FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE LAST APRIL FOR GENERAL INFORMATION WHEN IT WAS STATED THAT THE VIEWS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WOULD BE SOUGHT ON CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, NAMELY THE TIME LIMITS FOR LEGAL ABORTION AND THE NEW OFFENCE OF CHILD DESTRUCTION. THESE PROVISIONS WERE GENERALLY ACCEPTED BY THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS CONSULTED AND, AS A RESULT, NO AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BILLS.
THE AIM