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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981
+ IF IT IS TRUE THAT THESE NEW PROPOSALS HAVE NOT YET BEEN TO SWAC, I FIND IT VERY STRANGE, SHE SAID.
+THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WORK HARD TO IMPROVE THE IR STANDARD OF LIVING.
+THEY DO NOT TAKE KINDLY TO THE DELAYS PRODUCED BY THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH.+
DR HO SAID THE PRESENT SUBVENTIONS POLICY, CHARACTERISED BY DISCRETIONARY GRANTS, FALLS SHORT OF FULFILLING THE GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED COMMITMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOCIAL WELFARE.
+THIS IS BECAUSE IT STILL OPERATES ON THE OUTDATED NOTION OF REQUIRING THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR TO RELY ON PRIVATE FINANCIAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING PERSONAL DONATIONS, COMMUNITY CHEST ALLOCATIONS, AND CHARITABLE TRUST FUNDS BEFORE CONSIDERATION OF SUBSIDIES FROM THE PUBLIC COFFERS,
+ IN THE LIGHT OF AN EXPANDING PROGRAMME OF WELFARE SERVICES TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, THIS ARCHAIC SUBVENTION METHOD IS INAPPROPRIATE AND A RÉVISION IS OVERDUE.
HE THOUGHT THE BASIC PROPOSALS MADE BY THE WORKING PARTY OFFER A MUCH-PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND WARRANT PROMPT IMPLEMENTATION.
REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED BASIC COST SUBVENTION SYSTEM,
DR HO SAID IT REPRESENTS A GREAT STRIDE FORWARD BECAUSE IT COMMITS THE GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE FULL COSTS OF PROVIDING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES IN THE ESSENTIAL+ AND NECESSARY+ CATEGORIES AT PREDETERMINED STANDARDS.
INCOME FROM OTHER SOURCES RAISED BY THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS CAN BE UTILISED FREELY FOR WHATEVER PURPOSES THEY SEE FIT, HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, IN CONSIDERING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF SERVICES OUTSIDE THESE TWO CATEGORIES, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAKE A DISCRETIONARY LUMP SUM GRANT WITHOUT REGARD TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY'S SOURCES OF PRIVATE FUNDING, INCLUDING COMMUNITY CHEST ALLOCATIONS.
+MY ARGUMENTS ARE THAT SOME OF THE 'DESIRABLE SERVICES, THOUGH LOW IN THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL PRIORITIES, ARE VERY SOCIALLY DESERVING AND ARE JUDICIOUSLY ALLEVIATING THE HARDSHIP AND DISTRESS OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF THE POPULATION.
+VOLUNTARY AGENCIES MAY, IN ADDITION, RUN EXPERIMENTAL PROJECTS TO MEET SOCIAL NEEDS OF SELECTED MINORITY SOCIAL GROUPS OR TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CERTAIN METHODS OF INTERVENTION. +
DR HO NOTED THAT THE PRESENT MODEL SYSTEM, ADOPTED SINCE 1979 AS AN INTERIM MEASURE TO PROCESS SUBVENTION APPLICATIONS, HAS RESULTED IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES IN A NUMBER OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
/AS THE