XN000022-1985-11-28 — Page 25

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985

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THE GOVERNMENT MUST WIDELY PUBLICISE THE POLICY SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE POLICY, ITS OBJECTIVE AS WELL AS THE RESOURCES, HE SAID.

+ IN THIS WAY THE CHANCES OF THE GOVERNMENT BEING MISUNDERSTOOD BY THE PUBLIC WILL BE REDUCED, HE SAID,

DR LAM SAID THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS WERE WELCOMED BY THE PUBLIC AND THIS PROVED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE FLATS. BUT, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT MUST CAREFULLY CONSIDER PROBLEMS OF RESOURCES AND PRIORITY.

+FROM AN ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE GREATEST DEMAND FOR HOUSING WILL BE MOST UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD HOS FLATS.

+HENCE, THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF HOS FLATS SHOULD BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT THE PROGRESS OF PUBLIC HOUSING CONSTRUCTION WILL NOT BE AFFECTED, HE SAID.

TURNING TO MEDICAL SERVICES, DR LAM SAID SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE NOW WORRYING WHETHER THE SPIRIT OF THE GREEN PAPER, THAT +SUBSIDY SHOULD ONLY BE GIVEN TO THOSE MOST IN NEED OF IT+, WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE MEDICAL SERVICE, THEREBY BRINGING ABOUT GREATER FINANCIAL PRESSURE ON THE PUBLIC.

IN THE PAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT APPROPRIATED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO EXPAND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WHICH WAS A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS TO THOSE IN NEED OF INEXPENSIVE MEDICAL SERVICES, HE SAID.

+PEOPLE HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE A STEP FURTHER SO THAT PATIENTS IN THE SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WILL NOT BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AS FAR AS MEDICAL SERVICES ARE CONCERNED, HE ADDED.

DR LAM SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ASSIST IN EXPEDITING THE SETTING UP OF AN ACADEMY OF MEDICINE TO COORDINATE POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND TO CONFER INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED DEGREES TO SPECIALISTS WHO HAD ATTAINED INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

HE ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT IN-DEPTH STUDIES ON THE MEDICAL INSURANCE SYSTEM, WHICH, IF PROVED TO BE BENEFICIAL TO THE PUBLIC, SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED.

LASTLY, HE HOPED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE DECISION ON PUBLIC HOUSING SUBSIDIES, PRIVATISATION OF HOSPITALS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECT ELÉCTION AND ITS TIMING BASED ON PEOPLE'S CONCERN AND ASPIRATIONS, SAYING THAT CONSULTATIVE PROCESS WAS A CARDINAL ELEMENT IN HONG KONG'S SUCCESS.

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