XN000022-1981-11-12 — Page 6

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1981

CHANCE WANTED FOR NEW SUBVENTION SCHEME TO WORK

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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, TODAY (THURSDAY) ASKED VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO GIVE THE NEW SUBVENTION SYSTEM A CHANCE TO WORK.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON AT THE PENINSULA HOTEL, MRS CHAN SAID THE NEW SCHEME HAD BEEN CAREFULLY DEVISED TO REMOVE SOME OF THE MAIN DRAWBACKS OF THE EXISTING DISCRETIONARY SYSTEM AND FOLLOWS EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S MAIN ADVISORY BODIES IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND REHABILITATION FIELDS AND WITH THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

+BUT, SHE SAID, IT WILL PROBABLY NOT MEET ALL ASPIRATIONS.+

IN ANY SCHEME THAT ATTEMPTS TO CATER TO A DISPARATE RANGE OF SERVICES AND AGENCIES, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS GONE FOR THE SCHEME WHICH WILL ENABLE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY, AND WITH AS MUCH FREEDOM OF ACTION AS POSSIBLE, IN PROVIDING THE SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WHICH THE COMMUNITY REQUIRES. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE SCHEME MUST ENSURE THAT PUBLIC FUNDS ARE FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR,+ SHE SAID,

MRS CHAN DISCLOSED THAT UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM, ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES HAD BEEN PLACED IN CATEGORY I WHICH MEANT THEY WOULD RECEIVE SUBVENTION AT 100 PER CENT OF THE STANDARD COST ESTABLISHED FOR THAT PURPOSE. THESE INCLUDE ALL FORMS OF RESIDENTIAL CARE, COUNSELLING SERVICES, CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRES, SHELTERED WORKSHOPS FOR THE DISABLED AND MANY MORE.

SERVICES IN CATEGORY II WERE MAINLY RECREATIONAL TYPES OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS YOUTH CAMPS AND HOSTELS, SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL CENTRES FOR THE DISABLED AND UNIFORM GROUPS. THESE SERVICES WOULD BE SUBVENTED EITHER ON A FIXED PERCENTAGE OF THE STANDARD COST, TO BE APPLIED TO ALL AGENCIES PROVIDING THAT SERVICE, OR ON AN ARBITRARY LUMP SUM BASIS.

*THE PRESENT CLASSIFICATION OF SERVICES FOLLOWS THE ADVICE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE, MRS CHAN SAID.

+THIS CLASSIFICATION IS NOT IMMUTABLE AND THE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT WILL RESPOND TO CHANGING COMMUNITY NEEDS.+

SHE REFUTED CRITICISMS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DELIBERATELY HOLD DOWN STANDARDS TO KEEP COSTS TO A MINIMUM.

+THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO SET REASONABLE STANDARD COSTS, SHE SAID. THEY WILL NOT BE LUXURIOUS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TO DO THIC WITH PUBLIC FUNDS BUT THEY WILL DEFINITELY BE ADEQUATE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC GROUPS.+

JAAN