XN000022-1987-03-18 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1987

ONE POSSIBLE SOLUTION WAS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO COMPENSATE LANDOWNERS FOR THE LAND NEEDED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS, HE SAID.

HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOW TRYING TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF POLLUTION OF RIVERS AND NULLAHS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BY IMPOSING SEVERE CONTROLS OVER ANIMAL WASTE DISPOSAL AND THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRIES.

HE FULLY SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS DETERMINATION TO COMBAT THE POLLUTION PROBLEM BUT, ON THE OTHER HAND, STRONGLY URGED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO RELIEVE THE PRESENT HARDSHIP OF FARMERS WHO WERE BEING FORCED OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF CONTROL MEASURES.

TURNING TO MEDICAL SERVICES, MR TAI SAID HE APPRECIATED THE PROVISION OF $1.2 BILLION FOR THE TUEN MUN GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, IN ADDITION TO THE $899 MILLION FOR LAST YEAR.

AS TUEN MUN HOSPITAL WOULD BEGIN TO OPERATE IN 1988, THE HEAVY DEMAND FOR MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG WOULD BE ALLEVIATED. THIS WOULD PROVIDE A BETTER STANDARD OF MEDICAL CARE WHICH HAD BEEN LONG AWAITED BY THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREA, HE SAID.

+NEVERT HELESS, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE IS NO MENTION IN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S SPEECH REGARDING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN CONSULTANT'S REPORT, HE SAID.

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MR TAI SAID THAT ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL, SUCH AS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, THE OTHER PROPOSALS WERE LESS CONTROVERSIAL AND COULD BE IMPLEMENTED EASILY, PROVIDED THAT SUFFICIENT FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED.

HE ADDED THAT THE FINANCIAL PROVISIONS FOR SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WERE DISCUSSED DURING A LONG CONSULTATION PROCESS WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE FINAL PROVISIONS MIGHT BE A QUARTER TO HALF OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN.

HE SAID SUBVENTED HOSPITALS WERE UNAWARE OF THE REASONS WHY THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS HAD BEEN REDUCED AND COMPLAINT OF INADEQUATE FUNDS BEING ALLOCATED TO THEM. IT AFFECTED THE MORALE OF EMPLOYEES OF SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.

HE SUGGESTED THAT A MACHINERY SIMILAR TO THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONSULTANT'S REPORT BE SET UP SO AS TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF BUDGET PREPARATION AND COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND SUBVENTED HOSPITALS.

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