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PENSIONS FOR EX-POW'S
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO AWARD PENSIONS то BENEFICIARIES OF THE HONG KONG WAR MEMORIAL FUND (HKWMF).
FOR
ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (MONDAY), THE ACTING SECRETARY HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS HELEN YU, SAID THIS MEANT THAT THE PRESENT INCOME THRESHOLD REQUIREMENT FOR RECEIVING GRANTS FROM THE FUND WOULD BE REMOVED AND EX-PRISIONERS OF WAR IN HONG KONG AND OTHERS WHO SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE WAR WOULD RECEIVE PENSIONS AS A STATUTORY RIGHT.
MRS YU SAID THE DECISION WAS MADE AFTER CONSIDERING REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE HKWMF COMMITTEE CONCERNING THE GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF BEING HELD AS A PRISONER OF WAR.
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RECOGNITION
'THROUGH THE AWARD OF PENSIONS, WE WISH TO PROVIDE OF THE SPECIAL DEBT OWED ΤΟ BENEFICIARIES OF THE FUND FOR THEIR WAR-TIME SUFFERING AND THE LONG-TERM PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF BEING HELD IN CAPTIVITY, MRS YU EXPLAINED.
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AS WITH EXISTING BENEFITS, PENSIONS WILL BE PAID TO PERSONS WHO, WHILE SERVING IN SPECIFIED UNITS, WERE INJURED IN THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG OR HELD IN CAPTIVITY BY THE ENEMY AND TO THE DEPENDANTS OF THOSE WHO WERE KILLED DURING THE FIGHTING OR WHO DIED IN SUBSEQUENT CAPTIVITY.
CIVILIANS WHO WERE TORTURED. AND THE DEPENDANTS OF THOSE EXECUTED BY THE JAPANESE WILL ALSO CONTINUE то BE INCLUDED IN THE PENSION ARRANGEMENTS.
MRS YU SAID AS THE AWARD OF PENSIONS CONSTITUTED A DIFFERENT PRINCIPLE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THAT ON WHICH THE EXISTING FUND RESTED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY то REPEAL THE HKWMF ORDINANCE AND REPLACE IT WITH NEW LEGISLATION.
SHE ADDED THAT AS THE PENSIONS WOULD BE PAID DIRECTLY FROM PUBLIC FUNDS, IT WOULD NO LONGER BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE HKWMF COMMITTEE TO ADMINISTER THE FUND, ALTHOUGH IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD CONTINUE AS AN ADVISORY BODY.
"WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COMMITTEE IN DRAFTING LEGISLATION WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING THE CHANGES AS SOON POSSIBLE IN 1991, MRS YU SAID.
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