SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 1990
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ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSE TO SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES CONSULTATION
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INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL AND CONCERN GROUPS AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS ORGANISATIONS IN THE SOCIAL WORK SECTOR HAVE RESPONDED ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO THE CONSULTATION ON HONG KONG'S SOCIAL WELFARE
AND
SERVICES.
THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID THIS TODAY (SUNDAY) WHILE SPEAKING AT THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HONG KONG SOCIAL WORKERS' GENERAL UNION.
MRS WONG SAID A WORKING GROUP HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO REVIEW HONG KONG'S SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND TO DRAFT WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990'S AND BEYOND.
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"OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS OR SO, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACTIVELY INVITED THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE WELFARE SERVICES, SHE SAID.
MRS WONG SAID THE COVERAGE OF WELFARE SERVICES, THE PROPORTION OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROVISION OF VARIOUS WELFARE SERVICES AGAINST CHANGING NEEDS WERE THE MAJOR CONCERNS OF THE VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
"IN HONG KONG, WELFARE SERVICES HAVE WELL-ESTABLISHED IN THE 1980'S," SHE SAID.
BEEN
QUITE
"THE VARIETY OF SERVICES RANGES FROM THOSE PROVIDED FOR THE MOST NEEDY TO THOSE TARGETTED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE WITHOUT ANY SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.
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AS TO THE QUESTION OF A BIGGER SHARE OF WELFARE SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE, MRS WONG SAID IT DEPENDED ON THE DECISION ON THE PRIORITIES OF VARIOUS SOCIAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES IN FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY.
THE
OF
SHE SAID THE WORKING GROUP, OPERATING WITHIN THE CONSTRAINT
INCOME, KEEPING EXPENDITURE IN LINE WITH
WOULD EXAMINE THE FUNDS NEEDED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS SERVICES AND THEIR PRIORITIES IN THE COURSE OF DRAFTING THE WHITE PAPER.
"IN ANY EVENT, NOTWITHSTANDING THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE THE OBLIGATION EXISTING SERVICES TO SEE WHETHER RESOURCES HAVE BEEN USE FOR THE BEST RESULTS."
OF RESOURCES ΤΟ REVIEW THE
PUT TO PROPER
VARIOUS WELFARE
AS FOR THE PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES, MRS WONG SAID THESE WERE INTIMATELY RELATED TO POPULATION GROWTH AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
"TAKE THE ELDERLY POPULATION FOR INSTANCE: THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE OVER 60 YEARS OLD WILL INCREASE FROM THE PRESENT 12.6 PER CENT TO 15 PER CENT IN 1999," SHE SAID.
/ON THE