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THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1987
MR HUI SAID THAT WITH AN OVERALL SURPLUS OF $4.9 BILLION FOR. THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR IT WAS HIGH TIME THAT THE GOVERNMENT HONOURED ITS COMMITMENTS.
HE SAID THAT $38 MILLION WAS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT ALL AGREED IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR AND TO UPGRADE ALL SERVICES TO A REASONABLE STANDARD, AND THAT A SUM OF $36 MILLION, DERIVING FROM SURPLUSES ACCUMULATED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN PAST YEARS, WOULD BE USED TO FUND IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES ON A THREE-YEAR BASIS.
+THUS AN EXTRA $26 MILLION, REPRESENTING A TINY FRACTION OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET, CAN IMMEDIATELY RESOLVE OUR PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.
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MR HUI ALSO NOTED THAT THE FORMER FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD PROMISED LAST YEAR, TO LOOK INTO THE PERCENTAGE SHARE OF THE TOTAL PROCEEDS FROM THE LOTTERIES GOING INTO THE LOTTERIES FUND, WHICH HAD DROPPED FROM 5.75 PER CENT IN 1983 TO 1.5 PER CENT IN 1985.
+MY PROPOSAL, THEREFORE, IS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO REINSTATE THE FUND TO THE ORIGINAL 5.75 PER CENT AND APPROPRIATE 25 PER CENT OF THIS AMOUNT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES,+ MR HUI SAID.
TURNING TO THE ISSUE OF CHARGING FEES FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, MR HUI SAID THAT WHILE FEE CHARGING HAD ITS MERIT, INCLUDING GIVING SERVICE RECIPIENTS A SENSE OF PRIDE AND DIGNITY, IT WAS ONLY APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN TYPES OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES SUCH AS RECREATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES.
HONG KONG'S EXISTING SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY WAS GEARED TOWARDS HELPING THOSE WHO COULD LEAST HELP THEMSELVES - THE DEPRIVED, THE VULNERABLE AND PEOPLE AT RISK, FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT OR MIGHT NOT SEEK HELP VOLUNTARILY, FEE CHARGING WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT HONG KONG HAD PROGRESSED TO A STAGE WHERE SOCIAL WELFARE COULD NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE QUANTITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED.
+TODAY, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SERVICE STANDARDS MUST BE ADEQUATE FOR CLIENTS TO MAINTAIN A DECENT LEVEL OF LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT BY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES, HONG KONG WOULD NOT ONLY ENABLE PEOPLE TO SHARE THE PROSPERITY TO WHICH THEY ALL CONTRIBUTED, BUT ALSO TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER IN THE PURSUIT OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE AS OPPOSED TO CHARITY.
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