XN000022-1975-10-22 — Page 5

4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1975

CALL FOR MORE EMPHASIS ON QUANITY OF SOCIAL SERVICES

X X X X X X

THE HON. LEE QUO-WEI TODAY CALLED FOR A RETHINK ON THE APPROACH OF PROVIDING SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND SUGGESTED THAT MORE EMPHASIS BE PLACED ON QUANTITY RATHER THAN ON QUALITY OF SERVICES SO AS TO ACHIEVE GREATER USE OF LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE, MR. LEE SAID THERE WAS ROOM IN CERTAIN AREAS - NOTABLY SOCIAL SERVICES FOR QUANTITATIVE EXPANSION BY MORE INTENSIVE USE OF RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED.

HONG KONG COULD NOT SPEND MORE THAN IT COULD EARN, HE SAID, +AND IF EXPANSION CAN BE ACHIEVED BY INCURRING SOME. SACRIFICE TO THE QUALITY OF STANDARDS OF SERVICES INVOLVED, WE SHALL HAVE TO ACCEPT IT AS A FACT OF LIFE, HE SAID.

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, HE ADDED, THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT LOWER STANDARDS JUST AS MANY PEOPLE HAD ACCEPTED CUTS IN WAGES IN A PERIOD OF UNDER-EMPLOYMENT.

HE SAID HE WAS NOT SUGGESTING THAT HONG KONG HAD BEEN OVER-QUALITY-CONSCIOUS, AND EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY IN. SOME AREAS AT THE EXPENSE OF QUANTITY HAD NOT BEEN TOTALLY UNJUSTIFIED IN VIEW OF THE BUOYANCY OF REVENUE IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND EARLY SEVENTIES.

+HOWEVER, UNDER THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS ONLY REASONABLE TO CONSIDER PUTTING GREATER EMPHASIS FOR THE PROVISION OF MORE SERVICES AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO MORE PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.

HE EMPHASISED HIS POINT BY QUOTING A SAYING OF CONFUCIUS +THE CONCERN IS NOT WITH INADEQUACY, BUT BEING UNABLE TO GIVE EVENLY TO ALL.+

ONE AREA WHERE MORE MIGHT BE ACHIEVED AT SOME EXPENSE TO QUALITY WAS SECONDARY EDUCATION, MR. LEE SAID.

HE NOTED THAT UNIT COSTS FOR JUNIOR SECONDARY TECHNICAL PLACES WERE MORE EXPENSIVE BY ABOUT $100 PER PLACE THAN A JUNIOR SECONDARY GRAMMAR PLACE AND A PREVOCATIONAL PLACE WAS $79 CHEAPER THAN A GRAMMAR SCHOOL PLACE.

+SHOULD WE NOT THEN CONSIDER CONCENTRATING ON PREVOCATIONAL RATHER THAN TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNLIKELY TO MAKE THE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE?+

/AND IF