5 5
-
TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1984
★ VOLUNTARY AGENCIES MUST BE RECOGNISED AND ALLOWED TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES FREELY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SPONSORS' BELIEFS IN AND JUDGMENT OF SOCIAL PRIORITIES, WITHOUT INTERVENTION FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND
*
A DEFINITE COMMITMENT MUST BE MADE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES TO SUPPORT VOLUNTARY-SECTOR WELFARE SERVICES BY WAY OF SUBVENTION OR FUNDING OF SERVICES.
ELABORATING ON THE ROLE OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, DR HO SAID, +A STRONG AND DYNAMIC VOLUNTARY SECTOR FUNCTIONING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT SORTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES IS INVARIABLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.
+ IT WILL NOT ONLY EXPAND THE SCOPE AND RANGE OF SOCIAL WELFARE PROVISION BY MOBILISING MANPOWER AND FINANCE WHICH MAY OTHERWISE HAVE LAID DORMANT, BUT ALSO SERVE TO HARNESS THE CREATION OF A CARING AND SELF-RELIANT COMMUNITY SPIRIT, HE ADDED.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE CONCEPT OF VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE INSTITUTION.
HE POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LOCAL PEOPLE SERVING ON GOVERNMENT CONSULTATIVE - ADVISORY BOARDS AND ON EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES OF SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANISATIONS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, MAKING SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, ENTHUSIASM FOR VOLUNTARY ACTIVITY WAS BEING DAMPENED
BY THE UNCERTAINTIES SURROUNDING 1997, DR HO SAID.
HE CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO WASTE NO TIME IN THE SEARCH FOR NEW WAYS AND MEANS OF EXPLOITING THIS VAST POOL OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
HE ALSO STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE TO GIVE THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO FREE CHOICE IN EMPLOYMENT.
+WHEN A MAN IS ABLE TO CHOOSE HIS OWN JOB, HE WILL READILY HOLD HIMSELF RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS PERFORMANCE AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IMPROVE IT.
+THESE QUALITIES OF SELF-DISCIPLINE AND INITIATIVE ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF A FREE ENTERPRISE.
+FURTHERMORE, THIS FREE CHOICE OF EMPLOYMENT RELEASES HUMAN TALENT AND HARNESSES PRODUCTIVITY IN THE INTEREST OF THE ECONOMY, HE SAID.
DR HO POINTED OUT THAT ARTICLE 23 OF THE UNITED NATION'S UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROCLAIMS THIS FREEDOM AS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.
+1 THEREFORE URGE THAT THE AGREEMENT OR THE BASIC LAW SHOULD EMBODY A PROVISION IN SUPPORT OF THIS FORM OF FREEDOM AS A PLEDGE OF THE BELIEF OF SUPREMACY OF MAN OVER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS, HE SAID.
/6