XN000022-1981-10-26 — Page 4

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1981

SWD WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ACCIDENT SCHEME

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO TRY AND IMPROVE UPON THE OPERATION OF THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE SCHEME, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE HONG KONG INSURERS' CLUB, HE SAID IT HAD BEEN PROPOSED TO RELAX THE SEVEN-DAY SICK LEAVE QUALIFICATION TO A THREE-DAY REQUIREMENT FOR INJURY CASES, SO THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS SCHEME.

IT HAD ALSO BEEN PROPOSED TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF PAYMENT AND TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF LEVIES ON VEHICLE AND DRIVING LICENCES.

THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT IN 1980-81, INCOME FROM LEVIES AND FROM THE GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION WAS $41.1 MILLION AND $18.5 MILLION RESPECTIVELY, WHILE TOTAL EXPENDITURE INCLUDING ADMINISTRATION COST WAS ONLY $21 MILLION.

THEREFORE PAYMENTS MADE AMOUNT TO JUST ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF INCOME, HE SAID.

MR ALLEYNE SAID TWO RECENT TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS HAD THROWN UP PROBLEM AREAS IN THE SCHEME. ONE WAS THE CASE OF A CHINESE UNIVERSITY STUDENT KNOCKED DOWN BY A LORRY ON A ROAD WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, AND THE OTHER WAS AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN MTR TRAIN.

THE SCHEME, HE SAID, DID NOT COVER AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE USE OF A VEHICLE NOT ON A ROAD AS DEFINED UNDER THE ORDINANCE GOVERNING THE SCHEME.

AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A TRAIN, HE WENT ON, WAS IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORY AS IT DID NOT SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR THE SCHEME TO FUND COMPENSATION FOR SUCH VICTIMS. MOREOVER, THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES IN EXTENDING A SCHEME BASED ON ROAD TRANSPORT CONDITIONS TO RAILWAY OPERATIONS.

+STEPS ARE NOW BEING TAKEN TO CLARIFY THE MEANING OF 'ROAD' IN THE ORDINANCE AS WELL AS TO CONSIDER PROVISION OF SEPARATE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TRAINS AND IT IS HOPED TO FORMULATE NEW ARRANGEMENTS TO COVER THESE AREAS OF NEED,+ MR ALLEYNĖ SAID.

MR ALLEYNE SAID IT WAS NOT KNOWN TO WHAT EXTENT THE SCHEME HAD DISCOURAGED VICTIMS TO CLAIM DAMAGES OR COMPENSATION.

IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, THERE WERE ONLY 72 REFUNDS FROM THIRD PARTY CLAIMS, BUT 483 REFUNDS AND DEDUCTIONS FROM EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION, THE AMOUNT BEING ABOUT $300 000 AND $1 100 000 RESPECTIVELY.

+THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT ABOUT 88 PER CENT OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO GET ANY COMPENSATION IF NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WAS MADE UNDER THIS SCHEME, HE SAID.

WELFARE WORKERS