XN000022-1977-03-30 — Page 10

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WEDNESDAY, KARCH 30, 1977

+ I THINK IT IS TRUE TO SAY THAT MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE AT THE MOMENT ARE NOT GIVEN ANY ASSISTANCE EVEN IN THE WIDEST SENSE OF THE WORD, HE SAID.

+WE SHOULD PERHAPS FIRST OF ALL CONSIDER WHETHER THE PRESENT QUALIFYING AGE FOR INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE IS REALISTIC TODAY WHEN STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN HONG KONG OF WOMEN IS 73, AND OF MEN ONLY 68.

+TO SET THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR THE ALLOWANCE AT 75 DOES, I BELIEVE, DEFEAT THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS DESIGNED, NAMELY, TO MEET AT LEAST PART OF THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY SO THAT THEY MAY HAVE SOME DEGREE OF FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND THUS BE ENCOURAGED TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN OPTING FOR INSTITUTIONAL CARE,+ MR. LOBO SAID.

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE THE ELDERLY LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE ALLOWANCE, ONLY 72 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THOSE WHO HAVE REACHED 75 DID IN FACT RECEIVE IT.

MR. LOBO ALSO URGED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ASSISTING THIS +VULNERABLE GROUP+ BY WAY OF EXTENDING SUPPORT TO EXISTING HOMES AND HOSTELS FOR THEM AND FINANCING SIMILAR NEW INSTITUTIONS SO THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR DECLINING YEARS IN REASONABLE COMFORT AND UNDER GOOD CARE.

HE ESTIMATED THAT AT LEAST 7,000 INDIVIDUAL UNITS WOULD BE NEEDED, NOT INCLUDING UNITS FOR HOSTELS FOR THE ELDERLY POPULATION.

AND, FOR THOSE LIVING IN HOMES OR HOSTELS, THE COUNCILLOR URGED THAT SOME FORM OF ALLOWANCE BE GIVEN TO THEM.

ON THE SUBJECT OF HOUSING, MR. LOBO SUGGESTED THAT AS THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME WAS NOW GETTING OFF THE GROUND, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET ITS GOALS HIGHER.

HE DESCRIBED THE PLANS TO BUILD 30,000 FLATS OVER A SIX- YEAR PERIOD AS SOMEWHAT CONSERVATIVE, AND ADDED THAT THE

+ IMAGINATIVE+ SCHEME SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE EXISTING FLATS OF 400 TO 600 SQ. FT. IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR IN BUILDINGS IN THE MAIN PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME.

THIS WOULD EXPEDITE HOME OWNERSHIP AND BRING GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TOGETHER IN RESOLVING WHAT STILL REMAINS THE MAJOR PROBLEM IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

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