XN000022-1980-10-23 — Page 30

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1980

28

BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE WORKING CLASS

*****

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD EXPLORE NEW AVENUES TO EFFECT A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN PROPOSED IN HIS FIRST SPEECH TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

WHILE ABSOLUTE EQUALITY IS STILL AN UNATTAINABLE GOAL IN THIS WORLD, HE SAID, OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMMES WOULD GRADUALLY NARROW DOWN THIS DISPARITY.

+WE SHOULD WORK OUT A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY AND A WELL-CONSIDERED IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO FIT IN OUR EXISTING FACILITIES OF THE SOCIAL PROGRAMMES AND ADD IN NEW MODULAR SERVICES TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THE WORKING CLASS, TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

+THIS REQUIREMENT IS NOW ALL THE MORE PRESSING IN VIEW OF THE CERTAIN INCREASE IN IMPORTED INFLATION SINCE THE OIL CRISIS AND THE UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC FUTURE OF OUR MAJOR EXPORT MARKETS, + HE SAID.

HE SUGGESTED THAT THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED BY FAMILY BUDGETARY COUNSELLING, INVESTMENT IN LEISURE, AND SMALL INVESTMENT COUNSELLING.

MANY LARGE ORGANISATIONS HAVE USED BUDGETARY CONTROL WITH GOOD RESULTS, HE SAID.

A FAMILY BUDGETARY COUNSELLING SERVICE, HE NOTED, WOULD HELP EMPLOYEES TO EXAMINE CLOSELY THE IR INCOME AND EXPENDITURE PATTERN TO REVEAL AND ELIMINATE ANY UNPRODUCTIVE ITEMS, SUCH AS INDULGENCE IN MAHJONG AND OVERSPENDING, AND CONVERT THEM INTO SAVINGS WITHOUT CUTTING DOWN EXPENDITURE ON THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.

+ INDEED, WE SHOULD PLACE MORE EMPHASIS ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN IN RESPECT OF THE CONCEPTS OF SOUND FAMILY BUDGETTING BEFORE THEY LEAVE SCHOOL AND BEGIN TO WORK.

+THEREFORE IT APPEARS WORTHWILE TO CONSIDER EXPANDING THE EXISTING ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SYLLABUS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO INCLUDE THE TOPIC OF FAMILY BUDGETTING.

+ IF BUDGETARY CONTROL AND PLANNING IS IN THE BLOOD OF OUR YOUNGER GENERATION, WE SHALL HAVE MORE SOLVENT CITIZENS, PRUDENT BUSINESSMEN AND LESS FAILURES IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND IN SOCIETY GENERALLY, + HE SAID,

FOR THOSE WHO FIND THE LONG HOURS FREED FROM EXCESSIVE MAHJONG OR READING OF TRASH NOVELS TOO BORING, MR CHAN ADVISED THEM TO USE THE VARIOUS RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS FACILITIES AVAILABLE, THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES. OR TO TAKE SHORT COURSES TO BETTER THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY DIVERSIFICATION AND SOPHISTICATION OF OUR INDUSTRIES AND BUSINESS.

/+AS IGNORANCE

Page 30Page 31