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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986
THE PERCENTAGE OF THE INCREASE IN SUBVENTIONS FOR SOCAIL WELFARE WAS ALSO SMALLER WHEN COMPARED WITH THOSE FOR EDUCATION AND MEDICAL AND HEALTH.
+ IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE THAT IN THE ON-GOING FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT THE SAME KIND OF COMMITMENT MADE TO THE PROVISION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PLACES, AND THE BUILDING OF PUBLIC HOUSING UNITS, + MR HUI OBSERVED.
HE SAID THAT DESPITE THE TIME AND EFFORT DEVOTED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO THE FIVE YEAR PLAN ANNUAL REVIEW EXERCISE, ALMOST ALL CATEGORIES OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WERE SHOWING SHORTFALLS.
+ INADEQUATE RESOURCES TOGETHER WITH THE LACK OF PROVISIONS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES HAVE GIVEN RISE TO GROWING FRUSTRATION AMONG VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE SAID,
MR HUT COMMENTED THAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AROSE FROM THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION.
WHILE THE STANDARD COST SYSTEM INTRODUCED IN 1983 WAS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LUMP SUM DISCRETIONARY GRANTS, IT STILL HAD OVER-RIDING OPERATIONAL PROBLEMS, HE SAID.
+ THE CRITERIA BY WHICH SERVICES ARE PLACED INTO CATEGORY I (100 PER CENT SUBVENTED) AND CATEGORY II (PARTIALLY SUBVENTED) SERVICES, AND THE BASIS AND METHODS BY WHICH STANDARD COSTS ARE CALCULATED HAVE CAUSED MUCH DISSATISFACTION AMONG VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE SAID.
OTHER PROBLEMS HAD STEMMED FROM THE STRINGENT CONTROL THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT EXERCISED OVER THE ACCOUNTS OF AGENCIES.
+FURTHERMORE. THE 'NO TOPPING UP' POLICY UNDER THE NEW SUBVENTION SYSTEM MEANS THAT GOVERNMENT ONLY ACKNOWLEDGES SURPLUSES, LEAVING THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO HANDLE THE IR DEFICITS.
+ANY SAVINGS ACCRUED MUST BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE RESERVE ACCOUNT, BUT IN MOST CASES VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN THE APPROVAL TO MAKE FULL USE OF AVAILABLE FUNDS FOR CARRYING OUT SERVICE PROGRAMMES, HE SAID.
/MR HUI