XN000022-1985-03-28 — Page 10

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ON

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1985

SHE DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO MAJOR INDICATION THAT THE FREE PASSAGES TO ENGLAND, OR AN EXTREMELY SPACIOUS QUARTER UP THE PEAK, OR THE POSSIBILITIES OF THEIR CHILDREN STUDYING IN BOARDING SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND BEING IN ANY WAY A MAJOR CONSIDERATION OF THEIR COMMITMENT IN CONTINUING TO SERVE THE GOVERNMENT.

+1 DON'T THINK IT WILL SERIOUSLY AFFECT MORALE IF ANY OF THE EXPATRIATE ORIENTATED TERMS OF SERVICE OR FRINGE BENEFITS IS GRADUALLY REMOVED. WE MAY IN FACT FIND THAT TO THE LOCAL OFFICERS THIS IS NO LONGER A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THEIR DECISION TO STAY OR JOIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE, SHE SAID.

MISS TAM ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT EACH YEAR ON OVERSEAS CONSULTANTS FEES ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS AND ON IMPORTED COMPUTER EQUIPMENT.

SHE URGED THAT WHERE ALL OTHER FACTORS WERE COMPATIBLE. GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONSIDER GIVING PRIORITY TO OVERSEAS CONSULTANTS

'TH A LOCAL BRANCH IN HONG KONG, OR OVERSEAS MANUFACTURERS WITH LOCAL INVESTMENT.

THIS WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY COULD BENEFIT FROM THE MONEY THE GOVERNMENT SPENT ON PURCHASING OVERSEAS EXPERTISE AND EQUIPMENT, SHE SAID.

MEDICAL INSURANCE SCHEME PROPOSED

****

A MEDICAL INSURANCE SCHEME WAS PROPOSED BY DR THE HON HENRIETTA IP IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE TODAY.

DR IP NOTED THAT SOME $4 BILLION WOULD BE SPENT ON MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN 1985-86, AND OF THIS SUM, THE PUBLIC PAID A MERE TWO PER CENT, OR $0.1 BILLION.

+ CONSIDER THAT GOVERNMENT CAN AFFORD ONLY THE CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR DEVELOPING ADEQUATE MEDICAL SERVICES, THE RECURRENT COST FOR THE OVERALL ADMINISTRATION IN THE CONTROL, SURVEILLANCE AND PLANNING, AND LASTLY THE RECURRENT COST IN GIVING FULL MEDICAL SUBVENTION TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY ON SOCIAL SECURITY, NAMELY THE OLD, THE HANDICAPPED AND THE VERY POOR, SHE SAID.

POINTING OUT THAT THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON MEDICAL SERVICES WORKED OUT TO BE $616 A PERSON A YEAR OR AROUND $50 A MONTH, DR IP SAID THAT IF EVERY ABLE-BODIED PERSON PAID AN EQUIVALENT AMOUNT ON MEDICAL INSURANCE, IT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO BALANCE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON THIS HEAD,

/+A BASIC

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