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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1994
"I HAVE, THEREFORE, ASKED THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY ΤΟ EXPEDITE THE COMPLETION OF THIS IMPORTANT EXERCISE. TOGETHER, WE WILL FIND NEW SOLUTIONS TO OLD PROBLEMS, SHE STRESSED.
TT
ON MANPOWER, MRS WONG SAID THERE WERE 16,748 NURSES AND 2,477 DOCTORS IN THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY WHICH HAD 23,400 BEDS AS AT MARCH THIS YEAR. THERE WERE ALSO 1,245 NURSES AND 474 DOCTORS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
SINCE THE SETTING UP OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, THE ANNUAL INTAKE OF NURSES HAS INCREASED FROM 1,950 IN 1992 TO 2,235 IN 1993 AND THAT FOR DOCTORS FROM 330 TO 342.
WASTAGE HAS BEEN NOW KEPT AT 10 PER CENT FOR NURSES AND 7.5 PER CENT FOR DOCTORS.
TURNING ΤΟ WELFARE ISSUES, MRS WONG SAID OVER 120,000 ELDERLY PEOPLE HAD ALREADY APPLIED FOR THE SENIOR CITIZEN CARD, WHICH WOULD BE ISSUED NEXT MONTH TO ENABLE THE HOLDERS TO GET CONCESSIONS, DISCOUNTS AND PRIORITY SERVICES IN MORE THAN 1,200 OUTLETS.
THE WORKING GROUP ON CARE FOR THE ELDERLY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR LAST NOVEMBER HAS MADE GOOD PROGRESS AND WILL SUBMIT A REPORT WITH PROPOSALS IN AUGUST.
ON SOCIAL SECURITY, THE SECRETARY SAID AN INDEPENDENT STUDY WAS BEING CONDUCTED ON THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
ITS FINDINGS, DUE TO BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST, WILL BE EXAMINED CAREFULLY BY THE GOVERNMENT,
LEGCO BRIEFED ON MEASURES TO SLOW CAR GROWTH
THAT HE
ΤΟ SLOW
THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, HOPED WOULD BE ABLE TO BRIEF THE LEGCO TRANSPORT PANEL ON MEASURES DOWN THE RATE OF GROWTH IN VEHICLE OWNERSHIP AND USAGE BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
SAID DEVISE
SPEAKING AT THE BUDGET DEBATE TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR BARMA THE WORKING GROUP, WHICH HE FORMED TO STUDY THE PROBLEM AND TO A PACKAGE OF MEASURES TO RELIEVE THE SITUATION, IS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE MANY IDEAS AND PROPOSALS AIRED BY INDIVIDUALS IN CORRESPONDENCE COLUMNS AND PHONE-IN PROGRAMMES AS WELL AS IN NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS AND CRITIQUES.
WHILE HE DID NOT WISH TO PRE-EMPT DECISIONS, HE AGREED WITH THE VIEW EXPRESSED IN THE DEBATE THAT FISCAL PENALTIES ALONE WILL NOT SOLVE THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION PROBLEM.
/HOWEVER, HE