WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1993
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LABOUR CHIEF WELCOMES MORE FUND TO PROTECT WORKERS
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IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS KATHERINE FOK, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WELCOMED PROPOSALS BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO PROVIDE A TOTAL OF $110 MILLION FOR TWO PROPOSED SCHEMES SEEKING TO OFFER IMPROVED PROTECTION TO EMPLOYEES IN THE TERRITORY.
SCHEME
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THE PROPOSED $100 MILLION GRANT TO SET UP AN EX-GRATIA PAYMENT FOR PNEUMOCONIOTICS OF PRE-1981 CASES WILL NO DOUBT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR THESE WORKERS BY WAY OF A PERIODICAL EX-GRATIA PAYMENT UNTIL DEATH," MRS FOK SAID.
RECEIVED AN ONE-OFF EX-GRATIA
"PREVIOUSLY, THESE WORKERS PAYMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT, SHE ADDED.
SHE
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SAID THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION FUND BOARD WOULD BE INVITED TO ADMINISTER THE PROPOSED SCHEME.
ON A PROPOSAL BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO CREATE A NEW FUND AMOUNTING TO $10 MILLION TO PROVIDE INTEREST-FREE LOANS TO EMPLOYEES INJURED AT WORK AND DEPENDANTS OF EMPLOYEES WHO DIE AS A RESULT OF WORK-RELATED ACCIDENTS, THE COMMISSIONER SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, UNDER A PROPOSED LOAN SCHEME, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EFFECTING PAYMENT OF LOANS.
"THE PROBLEM CONFRONTING INJURED EMPLOYEES AND DEPENDANTS OF DECEASED WORKERS IS VERY OFTEN THE DELAY IN RECEIVING PERIODICAL PAYMENTS DURING SICK LEAVE AND THE LUMP SUM PAYMENT
OF COMPENSATION ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATIONS UNDER THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, MRS FOK SAID.
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SHE SAID THE PROPOSED SCHEME WOULD OFFER TIMELY HELP TO NEEDY WORKERS WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
SRC WELCOMES ADDITIONAL $30 MILLION ARTS FUND
THE SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR JAMES So, WELCOMES THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT $30 MILLION WILL BE INJECTED INTO THE SIR DAVID TRENCH FUND FOR RECREATION FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF HELPING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUDDING PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS.
MR
SO SAID THE INTEREST GENERATED FROM THIS CAPITAL INJECTION WOULD BE DISBURSED TO BUDDING PERFORMING ARTS GROUPS ON THE ADVICE OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (CFPA).
/ALTHOUGH THE