TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1984
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MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT IF PAYMENTS WERE TOO HIGH, THERE WOULD BE A DANGER THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD PREFER TO LIVE ON SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS RATHER THAN WORK,
SYSTEMS IN SOME DEVELOPED COUNTRIES HAD BEEN CRITICISED ON THIS ACCOUNT, HE SAID.
+THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS HAPPENING HERE,+ MR CHAMBERS SAID. IN FACT, ONLY SIX PER CENT OF THE BENEFICIARIES ARE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT OR LOW EARNINGS.+
+EVEN AT THE TIME WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT WAS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN IT IS NOW, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT BY NO MEANS ALL THOSE ELIGIBLE WERE APPLYING FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE ADDED.
MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT WITHIN THE SCHEME, THERE WERE ALSO ARRANGEMENTS TO DISREGARD AT LEAST PART OF THE EARNINGS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS, SO AS NOT TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM SEEK ING WORK.
+WE DO HAVE TO KEEP A CAREFUL WATCH FOR ABUSES OF THE SYSTEM SINCE THIS CAN EASILY BRING THE WHOLE SCHEME INTO DISREPUTE,+ HE SAID. +FROM TIME TO TIME CASES OF FALSE STATEMENTS OR FAILURE TO REPORT INCOME FULLY DO OCCUR AND WE FEEL THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO PROSECUTE IN SUCH CASES.+
ALTHOUGH THE SCHEME WAS THE BASIS OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, IT WAS NOT THE ONLY FORM OF FINANCIAL HELP.
THERE WERE ALSO AN OLD AGE ALLOWANCE PAYABLE TO ANYONE AGED 70 OR OVER, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, AND THE NON-MEANS-TESTED DISABILITY" ALLOWANCE FOR THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED.
+THE ESTIMATED FUNDS REQUIRED FOR THESE TWO ALLOWANCES NEXT YEAR AMOUNT TO NEARLY $845 MILLION, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME ITSELF, HE SAID.
+TAKEN TOGETHER THE THREE SCHEMES WILL COST THE HONG KONG TAXPAYER WELL OVER $1 000 MILLION, IN 1984/85,+
THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER SCHEMES WHICH PROVIDE FINANCIAL_HELP FOR PEOPLE IN NEED FOR CERTAIN SPECIFIC REASONS, INCLUDING THE CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME, THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM TYPHOON, FLOOD OR FIRE, HE SAID.
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