XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 33

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

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WELFARE FUND ALLOCATION GUIDELINES NEEDED

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THE HON ROSANNA TAM TODAY (THURSDY) CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT'S +SHORTS IGHTEDNESS+ FOR NOT CONDUCTING AN OVERALL AND INDEPTH REVIEW ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES DURING THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, SHE SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THE ABSENCE OF GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE PRIORITY OF ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO WELFARE SERVICES, EXISTING RESOURCES HAD NOT BEEN FULLY UTILISED.

THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNUAL PROVISION FOR WELFARE SERVICES WAS MAINLY SPENT ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PROJECTS AND THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING SERVICES, WITH LITTLE IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO IMPROVING EXISTING SERVICES, SHE SAID.

THUS THE RESULTS OBTAINED OFTEN RAN COUNTER TO THE AIMS OF PROVIDING SUCH SERVICES.

CITING THE CASE OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK AS AN EXAMPLE, SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE TO CUT THE RATIO OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TO STUDENTS FROM 1 : 4 000 TO 1 : 2 000. HOWEVER, NO ACTION HAD BEEN FORTHCOMING.

SHE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO START AN OVERALL REVIEW ON VARIOUS POLICY OBJECTIVES SET OUT IN THE 1979 WHITE PAPER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WITH A VIEW TO BRINGING THEM IN LINE WITH THE PRESENT NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

+MORE IMPORTANT, A SET OF CRITERIA GOVERNING THE PRIORITY FOR THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR WELFARE SERVICES MUST BE SET UP TO ENSURE THAT THE QUALITY OF SERVICES RENDERED ARE MAINTAINED AT A CERTAIN LEVEL, SHE ADDED.

TURNING TO THE CONSULTATION STRUCTURE FOR SOCIAL SERVICE POLICIES, MRS TAM URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO RESUME ITS FORMER ROLE AND TO MAKE IT RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING A SET OF CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE PRIORITIES IN ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR WELFARE SERVICES.

SHE DESCRIBED THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO REDUCE THE COMMITTEE'S POWERS FROM THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR AS +UNREASONABLE+ AND HAD THE UNDESIRABLE EFFECT OF ADVERSELY AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WELFARE SERVICES IN THE TERRITORY.

AT LEAST, SHE SAID, IT SHOULD DECIDE ON THE PRIORITIES OF CONSTRUCTION OF NEW PROJECTS, EXPANSION OF EXISTING SERVICES, IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICE QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING SERVICE.

/MRS TAM