I
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1993
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GOVERNOR:
IN REVERSE ORDER, YOU ARE QUITE RIGHT THAT AN INCREASING PROPORTION OF HEALTH COSTS ARE GOING TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS CARING FOR THE ELDERLY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION WITH MORE VERY OLD PEOPLE AS WELL. THE GOOD NEWS IN HONG KONG IS THAT WE LIVE LONGER THAN MOST OTHER COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED KINGDOM I HOPE THAT COVERS GOVERNORS TOO BUT IT COSTS MONEY. I ANNOUNCED IN MY LEGCO SPEECH THAT BY 1997 WE WILL PROVIDE AN EXTRA 161 ACUTE BEDS AND DAY-PLACES FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS, 1,200 MORE INFIRMARY BEDS, 1,400 MORE NURSING HOME PLACES, AND MORE SPECIALIST MEDICAL CARE AND SPECIALIST TEAMS FOR THF ELDERLY.
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AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON FUNDING, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY SHOULD BE DENIED PROPER MEDICAL CARE, PROPER HEALTH FACILITIES, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THEIR POCKET. OF COURSE THERE ARE SERIOUS FINANCIAL 19SUES FOR US TO TACKLE IN HEALTH CARE. THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS DRBATE WHICH THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE TO HAVE, BUT THE PRINCIPLE WHICH WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF IS THAT NO CIVILISED COMMUNITY DENIES HEALTH CARE TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
YOUR SECOND QUESTION. WE WANT TO OPEN THE BORDER AT LOK MA CHAU FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR TRANSPORTATION. IT IS JUST A START, WE WILL. HAVE TO HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE TWENTY-FOUR-HOUR OPENING BEFORE LONG, YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT THAT IF WE PROVIDE THE FACILITIES ON OUR SIDE OF THE BORDER BUT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AREN'T PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE FACILITIES ON THEIR SIDE OF THE BORDER, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO OPEN IT FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS. THAT IS A QUESTION FOR THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES BUT TRAFFIC JAMS AND HOLD-UPS AT THE BORDER DAMAGE CHINA'S ECONOMY AS WELL AS OURS.
YOU ARE RIGHT TO SAY THAT FLOODING IN THE NEW TERRITORTES IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR IT, INCLUDING FOR EXAMPLE ILLEGAL, DUMPING OF DEAD CARS. THE SAD FACT THAT IN PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES THE MAIN CROP SEEMS THESE DAYS TO BE CONTAINERS. RUT THE MAIN REASON 15 BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE FLOOD CONTROL MEASURES AND DRAINAGE ON THE SHENZHEN RIVER. IT HAS BEEN DEBATED BETWEEN US AND THE SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES FOR MANY YEARS. KAS
CONFIRMED TO ME WHEN I WENT UP TO SEE THE FLOODING THE OTHER THAT NOW, AT LAST.
THE DESIGN WORK AND THE PLANNING FOR FLOOD- PREVENTION MEASURES IS WELL ADVANCED. IT IS EXPENSIVE WORK
I'M SPEAKING OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I THINK THE FIGURE FOR THE TOTAL COST IS $1.6 BILLION BUT THE SOONER WE CAN START WORK ON IT THE BETTER BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY VILLAGERS WHO HAVE TO LIVE INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS WHENEVER THERE IS FLOODING.
IT DAY
IN
QUESTION STUDENT
INTERPRETER): (THROUGH
MR. PATTEN, I AM A
COLLEGE. OF THE
LINGNAN SOCIAL SCIENCE FACULTY, POLICY ADDRESS I AM VERY HAPPY TO LEARN THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND 32 THERE MILLION DOLLARS ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE BUT I WONDER WHY IS SUCH A FREE STRUCTURE, A NEW FEE STRUCTURE PROPOSED, WHICH IS BASED
DO So, COST, BUT THIS IS NOT MENTIONED IN YOUR POLICY SPEECH. THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR PROPER MEDICAL CARE?
FIRST IN
YEAR
YOUR
ON
YOU
/MY SECOND
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