XN000022-1985-03-28 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 1985

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AS A START, SHE SAID, GOVERNMENT COULD CONSIDER TAXING EDUCATION ALLOWANCE, LEAVE AND PASSAGE ALLOWANCE AND FREE HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.

REGARDING THE DUTY ON NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, DR IP SAID SHE WAS GLAD THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD CLARIFIED THAT PURE SOYA BEAN MILK WAS EXEMPTED FROM HIS DUTY PROPOSALS, THOUGH SHE WAS AWARE THAT THIS CONCESSION MIGHT NOT ENTIRELY SATISFY SOME COMMERCIAL FIRMS WHOSE SOYA PRODUCTS CONTAINED FLAVOURINGS.

DR IP WENT ON TO QUESTION SOME ESTABLISHED POLICIES WHICH HAD A FINANCIAL IMPLICATION TO THE BUDGET.

SHE ALSO QUESTIONED THE RATIONALE AND JUSTIFICATION FOR GRANTING OVERSEAS EDUCATION AND PASSAGES ALLOWANCE TO CHILDREN OF LOCAL SERVANTS WHEN THE USE OF CHINESE AS THE MEDIUM OF SPEECH IS BEING ENCOURAGED; THE GRANTING OF SIMILAR BENEFITS TO CHILDREN OF EXPATRIATE OFFICERS WHEN THE ENGLISH SCHOOL FOUNDATION SCHOOLS ARE NOT FULL THE GIVING OF LEAVE PASSAGES TO LOCAL OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHEN HONG KONG IS THE IR HOME FREE PASSAGE ALLOWANCE FOR EXPATRIATE OFFICERS WHEN THEY GO ON HOLIDAY RATHER THAN RETURN HOME AND THE ALLOCATION OF LARGE FLATS FOR SINGLE EXPATRIATE OFFICERS.

+WOULD THE LACK OF INCENTIVES FOR THOSE WHO FORFEIT BENEFITS SUCH AS PASSAGE, LEAVE, HOUSING, OVERSEAS EDUCATION ALLOWANCES- OR THE LACK OF DISINCENTIVES FOR THOSE FULLY UTILISE THEM, ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE UNNECESSARY GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE?+ SHE ASKED,

SHE WONDERED IF IT WOULD NOT BE OVERALL CHEAPER FOR GOVERNMENT AND MORE FLEXIBLE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS IF THEY WERE PAID MORE WITH A FRACTION OF THE FRINGE BENEFITS IN CASH INSTEAD.

ON THE ACCOUNTING PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATES, DR IP QUERIED THE PRACTICE OF PUTTING ALL PERSONNEL RELATED EXPENSES UNDER ONE HEAD RATHER THAN UNDER THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ALSO THAT OF DEPARTMENTALISING THE COST OF UTILITIES AND RENT WHEN DEPARTMENTS ARE HOUSED IN SHARED PREMISES.

SHE NOTED THAT THE ESTIMATES MADE NO MENTION OF THE PENSION BENEFITS WHICH WOULD BE EARNED BY THE CIVIL SERVANTS IN 1985-86 AND HENCE THE INCREASE IN THE GOVERNMENT'S LIABILITY TO MAKE FUTIRE PAYMENTS.

+IF GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO OFFER PENSIONS TO CIVIL SERVANTS, RATHER THAN DEVELOP TOWARDS THE CONCEPT OF GRATUITY, WOULD SETTING ASIDE A FUND, THE ANNUAL ADDITION TO IT BEING THE REAL INCREASE IN FUTURE COMMITTMENT FOR THIS YEAR, REFLECT MORE ACCURATELY OUR EXISTING EXPENDITURE?+ SHE SAID.

ANOTHER PROPOSAL MADE BY DR IP WAS THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROMOTE CONTRACT TERM !TH GRATUITY FOR CIVIL SERVANTS.

/SHE SAID