XN000022-1986-03-19 — Page 49

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1986

THE HARDEST HIT WAS THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY WHICH SUFFERED A LOSS OF SOME 107 000 PASSENGERS PER DAY OR ALMOST 11 PER CENT OF ITS TOTAL DAILY PATRONAGE, HE SAID.

+THIS HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN REDUCTIONS IN SERVICE LEVELS ON THOSE ROUTES WHICH PARALLEL THE MTR ISLAND LINE,+ HE ADDED.

MORE SOCIAL CENTRES FOR ELDERLY

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SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY HAVE INCREASED FROM 45 TO 130 IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FROM FIVE TO 10, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

+SEVEN ADDITIONAL SOCIAL CENTRES AND TWO MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES ARE PLANNED TO BE OPENED DURING THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, HE SAID.

ANSWERING A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT ON SHORTFALLS IN THE NUMBERS OF SOCIAL AND MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND STEPS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE TAKEN TO REMEDY IT.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PRESENT LEVEL OF SUBVENTION HAS HINDERED THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROVISION OF THESE SERVICES.+

UNDER THE PRESENT SUBVENTION ARRANGEMENTS, AGENCIES OPERATING THESE CENTRES WERE EXPECTED TO MAKE A PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS RUNNING COSTS.

+DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY APPEAL RELATING TO FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES FROM ANY OF THE 40 AGENCIES WHICH OPERATE THESE CENTRES, AND ALL THE PROJECTS BEING PLANNED HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN UP BY INTERESTED WELFARE AGENCIES, HE SAID.

+GIVEN THE NEED TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR WELFARE SERVICES AS A WHOLE, I SEE NO CASE FOR CHANGING THE PRESENT SUBVENTION ARRANGEMENTS.+

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