XN000022-1987-03-18 — Page 31

29

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1987

+1 CONTEND THAT A CROWN CORPORATION SHOULD SET THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC IN THE FOREFRONT.

+IF THE TSUEN WAN ROUTE WOULD SERVE MORE PEOPLE, IT SHOULD BE GIVEN PREFERENCE OVER OTHER ROUTES, HE SAID.

WITH REGARDS TO PROFIT TAX CUT, MR LAI REMARKED THAT SINCE HONG KONG OFFERED MANY ATTRACTIONS TO INVESTORS, THE 0.5 PER CENT CUT WOULD NOT BE A DETERMINING FACTOR TO INVESTORS.

HE NOTED THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY DID NOT MENTION MEASURES THAT MIGHT BE ADOPTED TO STIMULATE THE GROWTH OF THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AND SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LOOK INTO MORE POSITIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT AND REINVESTMENT AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRIES TO A HIGHER TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT.

LABOUR PROBLEMS LEFT UNHEEDED

*****

THE GOVERNMENT WAS EVIDENTLY ATTACHING LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT THUS RESULTING IN MANY LABOUR PROBLEMS BEING LEFT UNHEEDED, THE HON PANG CHUN-HOI SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ANNUAL BUDGET DEBATE, MR PANG POINTED OUT THAT THE PROVISION ALLOCATED TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS MERELY 0.3 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE.

FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, HAD LONG REMAINED AT SUCH A LOW RATIO DESPITE THE INCREASING WORKLOAD OF THE DEPARTMENT AS A RESULT OF CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS, AND THE REGULAR INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FACTORIES AND CONSTRUCTION SITES.

MR PANG ALSO SAID THAT THE DEPENDENT PARENT ALLOWANCE

SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

+DESPITE THE GREAT IMPORTANCE ATTACHED TO THE PROBLEM OF ELDERLY PEOPLE BY SOCIETY AND THE GENERAL SYMPATHY EXPRESSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON THIS ISSUE, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS NOT RAISED THE DEPENDENT PARENT ALLOWANCE, AND THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL ALLOWANCE FOR THE UNFORTUNATE AND HELPLESS OLD PEOPLE IS STILL MAINTAINED AT THE LEVEL LAID DOWN ON FEBRUARY 1, 1984 ALTHOUGH A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SURPLUS IS EXPECTED.

/+IT IS HOPED