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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986
SOCIAL WELFARE SHOULD HAVE HIGHER PRIORITY
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THE GOVERNMENT WAS TODAY (THURSDAY) QUESTIONED AS TO WHAT PRIORITY IT ATTACHES TO SOCIAL WELFARE IN RELATION TO OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES INCLUDING MEDICAL AND HEALTH, EDUCATION AND HOUSING.
THE HON CHAN YING-LUN RAISED THIS ISSUE DURING THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
HE SAID THAT ON THE GROUNDS OF HUMAN INVESTMENT AND COMPASSION, THERE WAS A STRONG CASE FOR GIVING SOCIAL WELFARE THE SAME DEGREE OF PRIORITY AS OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMMES.
THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT WAS RIGHTLY ON COURSE IN TACKLING SHORTFALLS IN MEDICAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC HOUSING, HE SAID HE COULD NOT SEE FULLY ANY GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT IN SOCIAL WELFARE. +THIS IS UNFAIR TO SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES,+ HE STRESSED.
MR CHAN SAID HE HAD HEARD OF ABUSES IN THE USE OF OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES BUT NOT THE SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMME.
+WHO WOULD WANT A HANDOUT FROM GOVERNMENT, WHO WOULD NEED OLJ PEOPLE'S HOMES, WHO WOULD NEED SHELTERED WORKSHOPS, WHEN THEY COULD HELP THEMSELVES?+ HE ASKED.
+THIS IS WHERE I DO NOT SEE THE LOGIC.
+WHEREAS SOCIAL WELFARE CANNOT EVEN TAKE CARE OF ALL THOSE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES, MEDICAL SERVICES AND PUBLIC HOUSING ARE ON THE OTHER HAND NOT ONLY HELPING PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE NEED BUT ALSO HELPING THOSE WHO WOULD NOT REALLY NEED GOVERNMENT'S HELP.
+ARE WE TRYING TO MAKE MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HOUSING A WELFARE AT THE EXPENSE OF SOCIAL WELFARE?+ MR CHAN ASKED.
MR CHAN WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHORTFALL IN SERVICES PROVIDED FOR OFFENDERS, THE ELDERLY, YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE DISABLED.
CITING STATISTICS ON THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE PROSECUTED FOR SHOPLIFTING, MEMBERSHIP OF AN UNLAWFUL SOCIETY, AND BURGLARY, HE SAID THEY INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM RELATING TO YOUNG PEOPLE WAS GROWING THOUGH THEY DID NOT SHOW HOW LARGE AND HOW WORRYING THE PROBLEM WAS.
/HE SAID