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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985
+OTHERWISE THE PUBLIC'S CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE FURTHER DIMINISHED.
+ IN ADDITION, I HOPE THAT IN LAYING DOWN ANY POLICIES, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO ITS BEST TO CONSULT AND CONSIDER THE VIEWS OF THE PUBLIC SO AS TO AVOID CAUSING ANY SOCIAL DISCONTENT, HE SAID.
SPEAK ING ON SOCIAL WELFARE, DR LAI SAID THE MEASURE ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PAST TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FACILITIES WAS TO MONITOR THE SPENDING OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
+THOUGH IT ALSO TOOK ACCOUNT OF THE STATISTICAL FIGURES IN RESPECT OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AS A GUIDING INDEX FOR QUANTIFYING THE RESULTANT EFFECTS, THE QUALITY OF SERVICE WAS OFTEN NEGLECTED, HE SAID.
HE BELIEVED THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMBUE THE PUBLIC WITH THE CORRECT CONCEPT OF +SOCIAL WELFARE+, WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE MAKING THE PUBLIC FULLY REALISE WHAT +SOCIAL WELFARE+ REALLY WAS THAT THOSE RECEIVING SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS WERE NOT
INFERIOR PARTIES THAT +SOCIAL WELFARE+ IN ITSELF WAS A FORM OF CARE AMONG FELLOW PEOPLE, AND THAT RECEIVING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICE WAS A CITIZEN'S RIGHT.
+THUS NEEDY PEOPLE WILL KNOW BETTER HOW TO MAKE USE OF THE SERVICES AND FACILITIES CURRENTLY PROVIDED, HE SAID.
DR LAI ADDED THAT THE ADVOCACY OF THIS FORM OF RE-EDUCATION COULD BE CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA AND BY CIVIC EDUCATION.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT IF WELFARE SERVICE WAS REALLY MEANT TO CATER FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEEDY, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SHOULD CONSIDER OPENING THE SOCIAL WELFARE CONSULTATIVE MACHINERY TO TAKE IN RECIPIENTS OF WELFARE BENEFITS.
GOVT QUESTIONED ON RESOURCES ALLOCATION ****
THE ARGUMENT OF +PROVIDING SUBSIDY TO THOSE MOST IN NEED OF IT TO ACHIEVE A BETTER ALLOCATION OF LIMITED RESOURCES+ WAS QUESTIONED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE POLICY DEBATE, DR THE HON CONRAD LAM SAID THIS ARGUMENT WAS NOT ONLY APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC HOUSING POLICY BUT MIGHT ALSO BE APPLIED TO OTHER SOCIAL PROGRAMMES,
/+BUT WHAT