XN000022-1978-04-26 — Page 13

WDBESBAT, APRIL 26, 1978

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HE SAID THAT AT PRESENT, APPEALS FROM APPLICANTS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR MEDICAL ASSESSMENT ARE OFTEN REVIEWED BY THE SAME BOARD OR MEDICAL OFFICER WHO MADE THE INITIAL UNFAVOURABLE DECISION.

OLD AGE AND LONG TERM SUPPLEMENTS

MRS. KWAN KO SIU-WAH WELCOMED THE INTRODUCTION OF THESE SUPPLEMENTS BUT FEARED THAT THEY MAY CREATE INJUSTICE AMONG DIFFERENT PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS AS THEY ONLY CONSIDER PARTICULAR DEMONSTRATED- NEEDS AND NOT OVERALL REQUIREMENTS.”

SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF WIDOWS WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN WHO ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST UNDER THE PRESENT

INCREMENTAL SCALE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.

SHE REITERATED THAT THE WAITING PERIOD FOR 'RECEIVING THE LONG TERM SUPPLEMENT SHOULD BE REDUCED FROM 18 TO 12 MONTHS. FATHER MCGOVERN NOTED THAT PAYING THE LONG TERM ALLOWANCE IN A LUMP SUM RATHER THAN ON A MONTHLY BASIS REDUCES THE AMOUNT PAYABLE AND HE URGED THAT ITS ADEQUACY BE LOOKED AT AGAIN.

DISREGARDED, INCOME

MISS, BENNETT URGED THAT MORE THOUGHT BE GIVEN TO THE AMOUNT OF EARNINGS A WIDOW OR AN ELDERLY PERSON BE ALLOWED TO KEEP, AND SUGGESTED THAT THIS COULD BE UP TO $200 A MONTH.

SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE NIGGARDLY ATTITUDE HAS PERHAPS STEMMED FROM THE DIVORCE OF THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME FROM THAT OF THE FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION. SHE THOUGHT THESE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM MORE COUNSELLING AND ADVICE FROM PERSONNEL TRAINED IN SOCIAL WELFARE WORK.

DISCRETIONARY POWERS

MISS BENNETT URGED THAT THE LOWER ECHELONS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT BE GIVEN MORE TRAINING AND GUIDANCE ON HOW TO EXERCISE DISCRETIONARY POWERS. SHE SAID THAT TOO FREQUENTLY JUNIOR OFFICIALS, WHO, UNSURE OF THEMSELVES, ARE ONLY TOO HAPPY TO EXERCISE THE IR AUTHORITY BY USING DELAYING TACTICS AND DEFERRING A DECISION...

SCHOOL EXPENSES COVERED BY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

MISS BENNETT SAID SHE WAS AMAZED TO LEARN OF HIGH FEES BEING PAID FOR CHILDREN TO GO TO THE UPPER FORMS OF PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, SHE SUGGESTED THAT A WORKING. PARTY BE FORMED TO LOOK INTO THE WHOLE QUESTION OF SCHOOL EXPENSES. ONCE

IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO SUPPORT A CHILD AT A CERTAIN SCHODL HOWEVER, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT MUST PROVIDE ADEQUATELY FOR THE EXPENSES AND NOT AREITRARILY DECIDE THAT ONLY SUCH AN AMOUNT CF MONEY IS TO BE ALLOWED FOR TEXTBOOKS AND STATIONERY.

FER-NPTIVE