WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1982
10
$7 MILLION PAID OUT IN PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION
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A TOTAL OF $7 MILLION HAS BEEN PAID OUT FROM THE PNEUMOCON IOS IS COMPENSATION FUND TO 162 APPLICANTS DURING THE PNEUMOCONIOS IS COMPENSATION FUND BOARD'S FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION,
THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON J. N. HENDERSON, IN A STATEMENT ON THE BOARD'S FIRST REPORT FOR THE PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 7, 1980 TO DECEMBER 31, 1981, WHICH WAS TABLED AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR HENDERSON ALSO DISCLOSED THAT INCOME FROM LEVY ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY INDUSTRIES AMOUNTED TO ONLY $3.2 MILLION. THE DEFICIT, WHICH WAS WITHIN THE BOARD'S ESTIMATE, WAS MET BY LOANS FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
IT WAS EXPECTED THAT, WITH THE CONTINUING INCREASED INCOME FROM THE LEVY, THE BOARD SHOULD BE ABLE TO BALANCE ITS INCOME AND EXPENDITURE IN A YEAR OR TWO, HE ADDED.
MR HENDERSON EXPLAINED THAT THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD WERE TO ADMINISTER THE STATUTORY PNEUMOCONIOSIS FUND FINANCED BY LEVY FROM THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY INDUSTRIES, AND TO PAY COMPENSATION FROM THE FUND TO PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOS IS.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BOARD RESULTED FROM THE NEED TO DEVISE A COMPREHENSIVE SCHEME FOR THE PROVISION OF COMPENSATION FOR PNEUMOCON IOS IS.
PNEUMOCON IOSIS WAS AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE WHICH TOOK A LONG PERIOD TO DEVELOP, RENDERING IT IMPRACTICABLE TO HOLD INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYERS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPENSATION PAYMENTS.
THE COMPENSATION SCHEME DEVISED TOOK THE FORM OF COLLECTIVE LIABILITY BY WAY OF IMPOSING A LEVY ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY
INDUSTRIES, THE TWO MAIN UNDERTAKINGS IN WHICH THE DISEASE WAS CONTRACTED, MR HENDERSON ADDED.
MR HENDERSON SAID THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE BOARD WAS NOT ONLY THE DIRECT RESULT OF THE DEVOTION OF THE BOARD'S CHAIRMAN, MR HO SAI- CHU, AND MEMBERS, BUT ALSO OF THE SUPPORT OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRY INDUSTRIES, TO ALL OF WHOM HE EXTENDED HIS THANKS AND GOVERNMENT'S APPRECIATION.