WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1988
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MORE FUNDS FOR PNEUMOCONIOSIS PREVENT UN URGED
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PNEUMOCONIOSIS IS A CHRONIC AND PAINFUL DISEASE, PREVENTION OF IT IS MOST IMPORTANT, THE HON HO SAI-CHU SAID IN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
AND
THE
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF A RESOLUTION TO REDUCE THE RATE OF LEVY UNDER THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE, MR HO NOTED THAT WITH A DECREASING NUMBER OF CLAIMS THE SIZE OF THE FUND HAD INCREASED TO $111 MILLION IN FEBRUARY.
DISEASE,
HE URGED THAT GOOD USE BE MADE OF THIS IN PREVENTION OF THE
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"THOUGH THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED IN OCTOBER 1987 то EXTEND THE USE OF THE FUND TOWARDS RESEARCH, PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMES THE ANNUAL ALLOCATION OF $1 MILLION IN THIS RESPECT REPRESENTS ONLY VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF THE PRESENT ACCUMULATED FUND," HE SAID.
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THE SCOPE OF THE FUND SHOULD BE FURTHER EXTENDED TO COVER MORE EFFECTIVE MEASURES.
THESE WOULD INCLUDE STEPPING UP INSPECTION OF THE VENTILATION FACILITIES IN WORKPLACES; AND SUBSIDISING THE INHALERS AND MONITORING THE USE OF SUCH APPARATUS.
INSTALLATION OF
FREE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COULD BE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO HAD JUST CONTRACTED THE DISEASE AND WISHED TO CHANGE JOBS.
THEY COULD ALSO BE GIVEN AN APPROPRIATE SUBSIDY TO MAKE UP FOR
THEIR LOSS IN WAGES DURING THE TRAINING PERIOD.
"WITH THIS POSITIVE APPROACH IN MIND, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT IN A FEW YEARS' TIME, WHEN THE NUMBER OF CLAIMS FROM THE FUND BECOMES INSIGNIFICANT, THE LEVY SHOULD NO LONGER BE NECESSARY.
"THE RECURRENT PAYMENTS FROM THE FUND SHOULD BE COVERED BY EARNINGS FROM PRUDENT INVESTMENT OF THE EXISTING FUNDS," MR HO
SAID,
AND MANPOWER, THE HON HO AND THE HON TAM TO CONSIDER THEIR
IN REPLY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION
1 RON BRIDGE, SAID HE SHARED THE ENTHUSIASM OF MR YIU-CHUNG FOR PREVENTION, AND HE WOULD BE HAPPY PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER MEASURES.
HOWEVER, HE DID NOT HIMSELF THINK IT WAS INCIDENCE OF THE DISEASE WOULD INCREASE IN FUTURE.
LIKELY THAT THE
THE PREVENTIVE