THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1984
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+ IF THIS PROPOSAL MIGHT MAKE SOME WORRY THAT SUCH MONETARY BENEFITS FAIL TO KEEP CIVIL SERVANTS FROM LEAVING WITH THE IR MONEY AND BENEFITS AFTER A SHORT STINT IN THE SERVICE, I WOULD REACT BY SAYING, THE BEST WAY TO KEEP CIVIL SERVANTS IS TO MAKE THE JOB INTERESTING: GIVE THEM MORE JOB SATISFACTION, SHE SAID.
+IN FACT, A CONSTANT INTERFLOW IN AND OUT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE IS A GOOD THING. CIVIL SERVANTS WILL LEARN HOW THE OTHER SIDE LIVES AND THE PUBLIC ALSO REALISES THE DIFFICULTIES CIVIL SERVANTS HAVE TO FACE IN THEIR WORK.+
TURNING TO MEDICAL FEES, DR IP SUGGESTED THAT THESE SHOULD BE RAISED TO A MORE REALISTIC LEVEL +TOWARDS A BREAK-EVEN POINT+ SO THAT OUT-PATIENTS WERE NOT HEAVILY SUBSIDISED. IN THIS CONTEXT, SHE POINTED OUT THAT PATIENTS WHO COULD NOT AFFORD MEDICAL FEES COULD CLAIM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND SICK LEAVE WAS GIVEN WITH PAY.
+AT BREAK-EYEN POINT, THE COST IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE NO MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR,+ SHE SAID.
+ IT CAN REALLY BE SAID TO BE 'GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY'.+ TURNING TO THE BETTER USE OF EDUCATION RESOURCES, SHE SUGGESTED THAT TEACHERS SHOULD TAKE THEIR TWO-WEEK SUMMER VACATION AND THEN UTILIZE THE REMAINDER OF THE STUDENTS' TWO-MONTH LEAVE PERIOD BY GREATER INVOLVEMENT IN THE REMEDIAL TEACHING OF THEIR OWN STUDENTS AND IN ORGANISING EDUCATIONAL COURSES FOR ADULTS. OVERALL OBJECTIVE WOULD BE TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
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NO COST WOULD BE INCURRED BY THIS PLAN AS TEACHERS ARE PAID THROUGHOUT THEIR SUMMER VACATION, DR IP SAID.
IN HER SPEECH, DR IP ALSO CITED WHAT SHE SAW AS A NUMBER OF INJUSTICES IN OUR SOCIETY. THESE INCLUDED DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, DIFFERENT FUNDING RATIOS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT- SUBVENTED AGENCIES, DOUBLE STANDARDS IN QUALIFYING EXAMINATIONS AND INTERNSHIPS FOR DOCTORS, AND SALARY SCALES FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SHIFT DUTIES.
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