XN000022-1982-04-14 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1982

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ON THE NEED TO STOP THE DRAIN OF TRAINED PERSONNEL,

MR ALLEYNE POINTED OUT THAT THIS WORKING PARTY HAD PROPOSED A REVIEW OF THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING SALARIES, CAREER PROSPECTS AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING, SO AS TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER RETENTION RATE, AND THIS WAS BEING PURSUED.

TURNING TO A PROPOSAL FOR A CENTRAL PROVIDENT OR PENSION SCHEME BY THE REV THE HON MCGOVERN AND THE HON ANDREW SO, MR ALLEYNE SAID +AFTER DISCUSSION WITH BOTH SIDES OF INDUSTRY AND MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED THAT THE SCHEME WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT TO APPLY.+

INSTEAD, PROPOSALS WERE FORMULATED TO EXTEND ENTITLEMENT TO SICK LEAVE WITH PAY UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO A MAXIMUM OF 120 DAYS AND TO MAKE A DEATH GRANT PAYABLE TO THE FAMILY OF A WAGE EARNER AT A FLAT RATE OF $3 000 IF THE DEATH OCCURS DURING EMPLOYMENT, SUBJECT TO A QUALIFYING PERIOD OF SERVICE, MR ALLEYNE SAID.

WHERE THE DEATH GRANT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS ORDINANCE, AN EQUIVALENT GRANT WOULD BE PAYABLE WITHOUT A MEANS TÉST UNDER THE SWD'S SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEME.

+ARRANGEMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROPOSALS ARE NOW

IN THE COURSE OF PREPARATION, MR ALLEYNE SAID.

REFERRING TO DR THE HON RAYSON HUANG'S COMMENT ON THE GROWTH RATE OF ELDERLY POPULATION AND ON THE FINANCIAL PROVISION FOR THEIR RETIREMENT, MR ALLEYNE SAID WELFARE PROVISIONS FOR THE ELDERLY INCLUDED BOTH CASH ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES.

FIGURES SHOW THAT 173 000 PEOPLE, OR MORE THAN 90 PER CENT OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION OF 70 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER, ARE RECEIVING OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND ANOTHER 31 000 RECEIVING DISABILITY ALLOWANCE.

SERVICES PLANNED FOR THE ELDERLY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS INCLUDED THE PROVISION OF 1 420 ADDITIONAL PLACES IN HOMES FOR THE AGED, 2 150 PLACES IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES AND 240 PLACES IN DAY CARE CENTRES.

SUPPORTING SERVICES, SUCH AS HOME HELP AND MULTI- SERVICE CENTRES, ARE ALSO BEING DEVELOPED TO MEET THEIR REQUIREMENTS.

ANOTHER SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT IS THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME PROVIDING HELP TO 46 000 FAMILIES.

+THE STANDARD OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS NOW CLEARLY ABOVE THE SUBSISTENCE LEVEL AND CAN BE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE REASONABLE RATHER THAN MEAGRE, MR ALLEYNE SAID.

THE VALUE OF THE ALLOWANCE WAS CONTINUALLY BEING WATCHED CLOSELY SO AS TO ENSURE THAT ITS PURCHASING POWER WAS MAINTAINED, AND THAT THE STANDARD KEPT PACE WITH THE GENERAL STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

/CONCERNING THE