THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1986
+WHEN THE FORMAL REGISTRY IS COMPLETED, INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKER SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION OF A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY, HE ADDED.
TURNING TO OTHER ISSUES, MR HUI SAID DIRECT ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATURE WAS THE SPRINGBOARD FOR ESTABLISHING A DEMOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
HE SAID HE BELIEVED ONLY WHEN HONG KONG HAD REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO SIT IN THE FUTURE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) GOVERNMENT COULD HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING HONG KONG+. HE PRACTISED.
+AN SAR GOVERNMENT RETURNED BY DIRECT ELECTION GUARANTEES A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WITHOUT THE FEAR OF EXTERNAL PRESSURES AND INFLUENCE WHICH UNDERLINES THE MANY CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSALS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLITICAL STRUCTURE, HE SAID.
DIRECT ELECTION, HE ADDED, NOT ONLY PROMISED POLITICAL REFORM IN ITS TRUE SENSE, IT WAS ALSO THE CORNERSTONE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK BELIEF THAT AN EQUAL, CARING SOCIETY WAS BUILT ON ACTIVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.
MR HUI SAID HE BELIEVED 1988 WAS THE TIME TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PERCENTAGE COULD BE 20 PER CENT AS A START.
HE ALSO EXPRESSED FULL SUPPORT FOR THE SETTING UP OF A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND.
HE SAID A CONTRIBUTORY CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME WITH AN INITIAL CONTRIBUTION OF FIVE PER CENT OF AN EMPLOYEE'S SALARY MADE BY EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES COULD PROTECT THE LATTER IN TIMES OF RETIREMENT, INVALIDITY AND DEATH.
+ THE MERIT OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME, ALLOWING TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP FROM PRIVATE SCHEMES TO THE CENTRAL SCHEME, LIES IN UNIVERSAL COVERAGE WITHOUT STIGMATISING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE POPULATION SUCH AS THE ELDERLY OR THE DISABLED.
+ THE UNDUE WORRY OVER THE OPERATION, INVESTMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHEME CAN BE SOLVED BY APPOINTING A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OR SETTING UP A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION THROUGH LEGISLATION, AND WITH GOVERNMENT ENDORSEMENT,+ HE SAID.
MR HUI SAID THAT IT WOULD BE A WISE, PROGRESSIVE DECISION FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE A COURAGEOUS STEP FORWARD IN LAUNCHING THE CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE GENERATION.
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