XN000022-1987-05-13 — Page 39

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1987

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*FUND WILL BRING MORE GOOD THAN HARM'

*****

DR THE HON CONRAD LAM SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE WAS IN SUPPORT OF SETTING UP A COMPULSORY PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME, THE OPERATION OF WHICH WAS TO BE CO-ORDINATED AND MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND, DR LAM SUGGESTED THAT A COMMISSION SHOULD FIRST BE SET UP LATER THIS YEAR TO STUDY ALL ASPECTS OF THE SCHEME IN DETAIL AND DETERMINE THE MODE OF OPERATION.

HE SAID THE FUND SHOULD BE COMPULSORY, UNIFIED (AND TRANSFERABLE), STABLE, OFFERING SAFEGUARD AND INVOLVING THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GOVERNMENT, AND BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

HE SAID THE COMMISSION SHOULD THEN FORWARD ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PARTIES CONCERNED FOR CONSULTATION BEFORE BEING SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.

TWO YEARS FROM NOW, ALL LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES SHOULD BE COMPLETED AND A MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY COULD BE SET UP TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE PROVIDENT FUND, HE ADDED.

DR LAM SAID THAT EMPLOYING DELAYING TACTICS WAS NOT THE PROPER WAY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS AND, ON THE CONTRARY, SUCH ACTION WOULD ERODE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT.

+IF WE BEAR IN MIND THAT WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AND ADOPT A COMPROMISING ATTITUDE, I AM SURE THAT ALL CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES CAN EASILY BE RESOLVED,+ HE SAID.

DR LAM NOTED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD SAID IN HIS SWEARING-IN SPEECH THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SHARE THE FRUIT OF OUR SUCCESS+ AND THAT WE MUST ALSO MEET THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE MUST CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES. WE MUST THINK OF THE ELDERLY AND THOSE WHO CANNOT LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES+.

DR LAM SAID THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FUND SCHEME WOULD 60

A LONG WAY TOWARDS REALISING THE ABOVE UNDERTAKING9.

JUDGING FROM THE PRESENTATION OF THE DOCUMENT ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE TO THE OMELCO MANPOWER PANEL ON APRIL 30, 1987, DR LAM SAID HE WAS VERY WORRIED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO EMPLOY DELAYING TACTICS+ ON THE FUND ISSUE, AS SOME FIGURES WHICH HAD INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY WERE REPRESENTED IN PERCENTAGES IN ORDER TO CREATE A MISLEADING IMPRESSION THAT THEY HAD FALLEN.

FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AGED 60 AND ABOVE LIVING ALONE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INCREASED FROM 25 769 IN 1976 TO 32 527 IN 1986. BUT IN THE DOCUMENT THE FIGURES WERE PRESENTED AS 57.1 PER CENT IN 1976 AND 45.9 PER CENT IN 1986,

IMILARLY, THE