XN000022-1982-03-24 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1982

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THAT THERE WOULD APPEAR TO BE SUCH A TREND IS INDICATED BY THE FACT THAT THE CHILD ALLOWANCE WAS ALSO RAISED LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TWO CHILDREN BUT NOT FOR SUBSEQUENT CHILDREN, HE NOTED.

FURTHERMORE. THE GOVERNMENT, AFTER HAVING ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL TWO CHILDREN POPULATION POLICY IN HONG KONG, LAST YEAR CHANGED THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL WHICH LIMITED MATERNITY BENEFITS TO SURVIVING CHILDREN FROM TWO TO THREE.

FR. MCGOVERN ARGUED THAT HE WAS NOT STARTING A DEBATE ON WHETHER OR NOT A TWO-CHILD FAMILY IS A BETTER THING THAN A LARGER FAMILY IN THE OVERCROWDED LIVING CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG, OR WHETHER OR NOT THE USE TO WHICH PUBLIC MONEY SHOULD BE PUT SHOULD BE DICTATED BY GOVERNMENT OR BY THE TAXPAYERS WHO PROVIDE THE MONEY.

HE SAID HE MERELY TRIED TO STATE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF POPULATION CONTROL BY MEANS OF DISINCENTIVES HAVE BEEN PROVED TO BE SOCIALLY UNDESIRABLE, OR TO MAKE HIS MEANING CLEARER TO THE OFFICIALS, INAPPROPRIATE+.

+

+THE PROVEN SOUND AND SANE METHOD WHICH DOES NOT DESTROY RESPECT FOR FAMILY LIFE, IS NOT DISINCENTIVES, BUT A POLICY OF PROMOTING FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION INCLUDING THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD.

+1 MUST ADD IN THIS PERMISSIVE AGE, THAT THIS CONCEPT MUST BE PROMOTED BEFORE AS WELL AS DURING MARRIED LIFE, HE SAID.

FR. MCGOVERN ALSO CALLED FOR A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND OR CENTRAL PENSION SCHEME SUITABLE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE NEEDS OF HONG KONG WORKERS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT SINCE AT LEAST THE 1960'S, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF HOT AIR BUT NO CONCRETE ACTION ON THE EVER GROWING SOCIAL PROBLEM OF WORKERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAVING NO PUBLIC SCHEME BY WHICH PROVISION IS MADE FOR THE OLD AGE OR PREMATURE UNEMPLOYMENT.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE CONTENDED, IS A PITTANCE AND WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR A WAGE OR A PENSION.

HE NOTED THE PROBLEM WAS URGENT IN THE 60'S, BUT IT IS MORE URGENT NOW SINCE WE HAVE NOW AN INCREASING POPULATION OF OLD PEOPLE AND WILL HAVE A RELATIVELY DECREASING POPULATION WORKING TO SUPPORT THEM FROM TAXATION OR ANY OTHER MEANS+,

+WE NEED TO DO IT NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER DITHERING, AND I SUGGEST THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY BENDS HIS AGILE MIND TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE HE AND AND THE BULK OF THE POPULATION ARE DODDER ING, FR. MCGOVERN SAID.

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