XN000022-1977-03-31 — Page 20

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1977

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IN HIGHLIGHTING THE POINTS RAISED ON SOCIAL WELFARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES BY HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES, DR. CHUNG ASKED WITH A CHALLENGE WHO COULD NOW SAY WITH JUSTIFICATION THAT HONG KONG HAD NOT BEEN PUTTING SUFFICIENT EMPHASIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE.

HE WAS REFERRING TO THE MASSIVE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE IN THIS FIELD FROM ONLY $55 MILLION IN 1971-72 TO OVER $430 MILLION IN 1977-78 OR ALMOST EIGHT TIMES AS MUCH AFTER ONLY SIX YEARS.

DR. CHUNG, HOWEVER, JOINED HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES IN CALLING FOR +SYMPATHETIC+ CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE ITS POLICY IN THE PROVISION OF CAPITAL FUNDS FOR SOCIAL WELFARE EXPANSION IN ORDER TO AVOID STOP-GO PLANNING AND TO ENSURE STEADY PROGRESS IN OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMMES,

HE ALSO ADVOCATED LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE FROM 75 TO 70 AND EVENTUALLY TO 65, AND THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST OLD PEOPLE IN INSTITUTION CARE,

REFERRING TO MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. CHUNG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE PROPOSALS PUT FORTH BY DR. HARRY FANG WHO, HE SAID, GAVE A MOST VALUABLE INSIGHT INTO THE PROBLEMS OF OUR MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES,+

+THE HIGH TURNOVER OF DOCTORS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE IS NO SECRET AND IF THE STANDARD OF OUR MEDICAL SERVICES IS TO BE IMPROVED, A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM MUST BE FOUND AND FOUND QUICKLY,+ HE SAID.

ON MATTERS OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND THE ECONOMY, DR. CHUNG SAID MOST UNOFFICIALS WERE +FAR FROM HAPPY+ WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND AND SALES POLICY, WHICH IS A VITAL FACTOR OF PRODUCTION.

HE INDICATED THAT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF A LONG-TERM LAND SALES POLICY THE RESULT WAS THAT LAND PRICES HAD BECOME UNREALISTICALLY HIGH.

DR. CHUNG QUOTED AN EXAMPLE WHICH, HE SAID, SHOWED THE +TREMENDOUS DISADVANTAGE+ IN HONG KONG'S EXPORT-ORIENTED MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AS FAR AS CAPITAL AND PRODUCTION COSTS WERE CONCERNED AS A RESULT OF THE UNREALISTICALLY HIGH LAND PRICES.

+1 AM SURE A LARGE NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SUPPORT THE CALL OF MR. JAMES WU AND MISS LYDIA DUNN THAT WE NEED A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF LAND WITH A VIEW TO CATERING PROPERLY FOR THE NEEDS OF BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE SECTORS,+ HE SAID.

DR. CHUNG ALSO SPOT-LIGHTED THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG'S EXPORTS, PARTICULARLY CLOTHING AND TEXTILE PRODUCTS IN VIEW OF THE UNILATERAL ABROGATION OF BI-LATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS BY HONG KONG'S TRADING PARTNERS, AND THE COMPETITION FROM THE MAIN RIVALS, SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN,

/*

/HE SUP

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