XN000022-1978-03-29 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29, 1978

+THIS LEGISLATION HAS BEEN UNDER PREPARATION FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND I MUST URGE THAT IT BE ENACTED DURING THE CURRENT SESSION,+ HE SAID.

ALSO ON TRAINING, HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROVISION OF CLINICAL TEACHING STAFF FOR THE SECOND MEDICAL SCHOOL WHICH ..ILL RECEIVE ITS FIRST INTAKE OF STUDENTS IN 1982.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE TEACHERS THERE WILL HAVE TO SE ABLE TO RELATE TO AND COMMUNICATE IN CHINESE WITH THE PATIENTS WHO WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TEACHING PROCESS.

HE ASKED THAT THEY BE RECRUITED LOCALLY, TO CONFORM WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S LOCALISATION POLICY AND TO SAVE TAXPAYERS' MONEY, FURTHERMORE, HE SAID, OUR LOCAL GRADUATES HAVE A HIGH REPUTATION AND MEASURE UP WELL TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS. HE RECOGNISED THAT UNIVERSITIES ARE AUTONOMOUS BUT SINCE PUBLIC FUNDS ARE INVOLVED, HE HOPED THE GOVERNMENT AND THE AUTHORITIES WILL CONSIDER THESE POINTS.

DR. FANG ALSO ASKED FOR A BETTER DEAL IN PUBLIC HOUSING FOR THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY.

HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE FROM THE GREEN PAPER ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY THAT A QUOTA WOULD BE SET ASIDE FOR THEM, BUT WANTED THIS TO BE EXTENDED TO THE DISABLED WHO ARE ALSO A CLEARLY DEFINABLE VULNERABLE GROUP.

HE SUSPECTED THAT THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS THROUGH

THE COMPASSIONATE HOUSING QUOTA DO NOT WORK WELL FOR THEM NOT BECAUSE THE DEMAND IS NOT THERE BUT BECAUSE THE CRITERIA IS UNDULY RESTRICTIVE.

HE SUGGESTED THAT WHEN DUILDING NEW HOUSING ESTATES, THESE SEPARATE QUOTAS OF FLATS BE INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGN TO REMOVE THE NEED FOR FURTHER EXPENSIVE ALTERATIONS..

HE FURTHER PROPOSED THAT SOME PRIORITY CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, SINCE THIS WOULD ACT AS A POSITIVE ENCOURAGEMENT TOWARDS SELF-RELIANCE,

CIVIL SERVANTS WHOSE EARNINGS RENDER THEM INELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING ALSO DESERVE A SPECIAL HELPING HAND AND PERHAPS A QUOTA OF FLATS MAY BE EARMARKED FOR THEM, HE ADDED.

STILL ON THE SUBJECT OF HOUSING, DR. FANG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW ITS PRIVATE TENANCY ALLOWANCE SCHEME FOR CIVIL SERVAITS, THE RULES OF WHICH SEEM TO CONFLICT WITH ITS AIM OF PROMOTING HOME OWNERSHIP.

AN ELIGIBLE