14
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1987
SWAC DISCUSSES SOCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS
COMMITTEE (SWAC)
DISCUSSED
ANNOUNCED
THE BY
THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES, THE GOVERNOR IN HIS POLICY SPEECH, AT ITS MEETING TODAY (MONDAY).
A GREAT MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS FELT THAT THOSE AGED 70 APPLYING FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO UNDERGO INCOME DECLARATION AS THIS WAS CONTRARY TO THE CHINESE TRADITION OF "RESPECT FOR THE AGED".
ON THE EXTENSION OF OLD AGE ALLOWANCE DOWNWARDS TO THOSE AGED 65, MEMBERS ACCEPTED THAT THIS WAS A WELCOME PROPOSAL BUT THEIR VIEWS WERE DIVIDED ON WHETHER THOSE AGED 65 TO 69 SHOULD BE SUBJECT ΤΟ THE INCOME DECLARATION REQUIREMENT.
THE
THEY WERE APPREHENSIVE THAT EXTENSION DOWNWARDS WITHOUT INCOME DECLARATION REQUIREMENT WOULD BE TOO GREAT A BURDEN ON THE PUBLIC PURSE.
THEY ALSO FELT THAT THERE WAS A MORE URGENT NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OTHER AREAS, SUCH AS THE RATES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE THAN INTRODUCING THIS DOWNWARD EXTENSION.
ON THE OTHER HAND, MEMEBRS SUPPORTED THE PROPOSAL THAT OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE INCREASED BY 10 PER CENT FROM $255 ΤΟ $280 PER MONTH.
THEY ALSO ENDORSED THE PROPOSAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE TWO LEVELS OF PAYMENT, ONE FOR THOSE AGED 65 TO 69 AND ONE FOR THOSE AGED 70 AND ABOVE.
THE VIEWS OF THE SWAC WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT.
BOARD TO DISCUSS NGAU CHI WAN VILLAGE LAYOUT PLAN
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WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL MEET TOMORROW (TUESDAY) TO DISCUSS LAND USE PROPOSALS OF THE DRAFT NGAU CHI WAN VILLAGE LAYOUT PLAN.
VIEWS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS WILL BE REFLECTED AT THE MEETING AS A CONSULTATION EXERCISE HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT BY THE WONG ΤΑΙ SIN DISTRICT OFFICE AND TWO DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS OF THE NGAU TSUEN AREA.
THE NGAU