XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

+FOR THE SECOND CATEGORY, THE GOVERNMENT HAVING EXAMINED AND APPROVED INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES' BUDGETS SHOULD GIVE A DISCRETIONARY GRANT OF 75 TO 80 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL COST IN A LUMP SUM AND ALLOW THE AGENCIES TO GET ON WITH THE IR WORK WITH AUTONOMY AND FLEXIBILITY.+

ALL DONATIONS RECEIVED AND INCOME RAISED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FROM OTHER SOURCES SHOULD BE DISCOUNTED SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW WHERE THEY STAND AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID.

DR FANG FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WITH AN UNOFFICIAL CHAIRMAN, SHOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE FORUM TO EXAMINE AND REVIEW FROM TIME TO TIME THE CLASSIFICATION OF CATEGORIES AND THE STANDARD OF EACH TYPE OF SERVICES.

HE HOPED THAT THE WORKING PARTY'S RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT FUTURE FINANCING OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR COULD BE PUT ON A SOUND AND PERMANENT BASIS.

IN THE INTER IM PERIOD, HE ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MINIMISE THE +SEE-SAW EFFECT+ AND TO ASSIST VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHICH MAY BE IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.

HE ALSO CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO PLACE MORE EMPHASIS ON EXPERIENCE, PERFORMANCE AND MOTIVATION RATHER THAN ON MERE PAPER QUAL IF ICATION WHEN SETTING THE STANDARDS FOR A PARTICULAR JOB.

MISS BENNETT SAID THE +SEE-SAW EFFECT OF CUTTING BACK GOVERNMENT SUBVENTIONS BY THE AMOUNT OF THE IR RESOURCES FROM OTHER SOURCES IS DEBILITATING AND DISCOURAGING+.

+HAS THE GOVERNMENT EVER COSTED THE AMOUNT OF TIME GIVEN BY THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES' PAID EMPLOYEES IN FUND RAISING CAMPAIGNS?

+THAT TIME SHOULD BE SPENT ON PROVIDING THE SERVICES FOR WHICH THOSE POSTS ARE SUBVENTED.+

SHE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SUBVENT A QUALIFIED ACCOUNTS CLERK IN EACH INSTITUTION SO THAT THEIR ACCOUNTS CAN BE PROPERLY KEPT.

IN THIS WAY, THERE CAN BE PROPER DAY-TO-DAY SUPERVISION AND CONTROL TO GIVE SATISFACTORY ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE INSTITUTION.

AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD THEN BE CONFIDENT THAT ITS SUBVENTIONS WERE BEING EFFICIENTLY MANAGED, SHE SAID.

MISS BENNETT ALSO TOOK ISSUE WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH FOR ITS SLOWNESS IN FOLLOWING UP THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WORKING PARTY REPORT.

SHE SAID SHE WAS TOLD THE REPORT HAS NOT YET BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SWAC) ALTHOUGH THE OFFICIALS, IN ANSWERING HER QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTIONS MANY TIMES IN FINANCE COMMITTEE, HAVE SAID THAT THEY ARE DECIDED BY SWAC.

/+IF IT IS