WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1992
27
NON-GOVT ORGANISATIONS PLAY MAJOR WELFARE ROLE
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NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS (NGOS) PLAY A MORE IMPORTANT ROLE THAN EVER BEFORE AS THE GOVERNMENT IS SET ΤΟ INTRODUCE MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN WELFARE SERVICES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID.
MRS WONG SAID THE GOVERNOR HAD ANNOUNCED IN HIS RECENT POLICY ADDRESS A CAPITAL INJECTION OF $2.3 BILLION INTO THE LOTTERIES FUND TO MEET THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE OF NEW WELFARE SERVICES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
"THIS IS INDEED VERY ENCOURAGING AS THE FUNDS ENABLE US ΤΟ ACHIEVE KEY TARGETS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE GREEN PAPER ON REHABILITATION,
■ SHE SAID.
THE IMPROVEMENT MEANS SOME 150 PROJECTS, COSTING NEARLY MILLION FOR 1993/94 ALONE.
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"HAVING CHARTED A CLEAR COURSE FOR THE FUTURE AND ACQUIRED THE FUNDS WE NEED, IT IS TIME FOR US TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND GET DOWN TO THE REAL WORK.
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MRS WONG WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE LOCAL CONFERENCE ON THE ROLE OF NGOS ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF. SOCIAL SERVICE TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
NOTING THE "VERY LONG" HISTORY OF NGOS IN HONG KONG, SHE RECALLED THAT THE GOVERNMENT AND NGOS BEGAN TO DEVELOP PARTNERSHIP DURING THE 1950S AND EARLY 1960S WHEN HONG KONG FACED MANY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
THE PARTNERSHIP BECAME INCREASINGLY CLOSE AND COMPLEX IN THE 1970S WHEN HONG KONG SAW A STEADY DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS AN INCREASINGLY COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED SYSTEM OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.
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THE WAY AND
THE 1973 WHITE PAPER ON "SOCIAL WELFARE IN HONG KONG AHEAD" FORMALLY RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANCE OF A VIGOROUS PROGRESSIVE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND EMPHASISED THE PRINCIPLE OF CO- OPERATION ON A "PARTNERSHIP" BASIS.
NOT ONLY DID NGOS RECEIVE SUBVENTIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, WONG SAID, BUT THEY WERE ALSO INVITED TO TAKE PART IN THE PLANNING WELFARE SERVICES.
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MRS OF
THIS RELATIONSHIP ENTERED INTO A NEW STAGE WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW SUBVENTION SYSTEM IN 1980, UNDER WHICH NECESSARY FINANCIAL RESOURCES WERE GIVEN TO NGOS INVOLVED IN THE PROVISION OF SPECIFIED SERVICES.
MRS WONG SAID: "WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM NGOS, THE POLICY OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS CAN NOW BE MET MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE SETTING UP OF SERVICE STANDARDS AND REGULAR REVIEWS FURTHER PROVIDE CHANNELS FOR COMMUNICATION.
/"THE CHANGE