WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1988
40
BETTER WELFARE FOR THE NEEDY
*
BEST
AS A PROSPEROUS AND CARING SOCIETY, HONG KONG MUST DO ITS
CANNOT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN,
RISING STANDARDS THAT FEND FOR THEMSELVES, ARE ABLE TO SHARE IN THE WE HAVE ALL COME TO EXPECT.
THIS WAS EMPHASISED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SERVICES WELFARE
WOULD
IN HIS
PROVIDE
OF
SIR DAVID SAID ENSURING THAT ADEQUATE LEVELS OF SUPPORT FOR THE POOR AND THE VULNERABLE WAS ONE THE GOVERNMENT'S MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES.
IMPROVED OVER THE KONG GENERALLY AND THE
THE RANGE AND QUALITY OF SERVICES HAD BEEN YEARS, IN STEP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG CHANGING NEEDS OF ITS PEOPLE.
REWARDED HARD WORK,
SOCIAL
HONG KONG'S THRUSTING CAPITALIST SOCIETY INITIATIVE AND SUCCESS, AND NOTHING THAT WAS DONE IN EXPANDING SERVICES SHOULD UNDERMINE THAT.
SOCIETY WHO, THROUGH NO
"BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE IN FAULT OF THEIR OWN, CANNOT FEND FOR THEMSELVES,
++ HE SAID.
YOUNG, THE ELDERLY AND THIS. THERE 18 RECOGNISE
"OUR EXPANDING SERVICES FOR THE VERY
MENTALLY HANDICAPPED THE PHYSICALLY AND INCREASING PRESSURE TO DO MORE FOR THESE GROUPS."
IN NEED WAS SYSTEM. THIS GAVE
OF COSTS
FOOD, ALLOWANCES WERE
SIR DAVID SAID AN IMPORTANT SAFETY NET FOR THOSE
SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE NON CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL
TO MEET THE FINANCIAL
AND ADDITIONAL
ASSISTANCE, SUFFICIENT
ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER ESSENTIALS, PAYABLE TO THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY.
YEAR OF INCREASED BENEFITS, MOST
FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT LAST LEVELS OF ASSISTANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RANGE OF OF THESE HAD BEEN INTRODUCED ON APRIL 1.
AGED
THE GRADUAL EXTENSION OF THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE TO PERSONS
WERE NOW ELIGIBLE, OVER 65 BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER; THOSE AGED 68 AND 69 AND PEOPLE AGED 67 WOULD BECOME ELIGIBLE NEXT APRIL.
"THE SCOPE OF THE DISABILITY SIGNIFICANTLY EXTENDED,' HE SAID.
||
"THE HIGHER RATE FOR
ALLOWANCE
WILL ALSO BE
WILL
CARE AND FROM
REQUIRING CONSTANT PEOPLE
AGED OVER 60,
ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS NOW PAYABLE TO THOSE NEXT APRIL BE AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AGED 16 AND ABOVE.
/"THIS IS