XN000022-1988-04-21 — Page 26

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1988

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FAIR SHARE FOR SOCIAL WELFARE

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S MIDDLE CLASS BUDGET THIS YEAR, HIGHLIGHTING TAX CONCESSIONS AND INCREASED SOCIAL SERVICES EXPENDITURES, HAS OWN HIM ROUNDS OF PRAISE FROM ALMOST ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE HON HUI YIN-FAT SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY) WHEN SUPPORTING THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1988,

MR HUI SAID THE BUDGET SURPLUS, WHILE MAINTAINING THE CONTINUITY AND PRUDENCE OF PREVIOUS BUDGETS, HAD ENABLED THE GOVERNMENT TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE OF APPROPRIATING A

FAIR SHARE FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.

"INDEED, THE $3.9

CENT OF THE TOTAL BUDGET,

PER

THE

BILLION ALLOCATION, REPRESENTING 6.3 COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH ALLOCATIONS IN PAST FEW YEARS, AND GIVES REASON FOR THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR TO REJOICE, HE SAID.

BUT HE NOTED THAT SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS STILL ABSORBED 83 PER CENT, OR $584 MILLION, OF THIS YEAR'S $702 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE 87-88 ESTIMATES FOR SOCIAL WELFARE.

ALSO, THE INCREASE IN SOCIAL WELFARE EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR WAS ONLY ADEQUATE FOR PROVISIONS TO CATCH UP ON PAST SLIPPAGE.

MR HUI SAID THAT SOCIAL WORK TRAINING REMAINED AN AREA THAT REQUIRED A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

UNTRAINED WELFARE WORKERS WERE CURRENTLY PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, OFTEN LOOKING AFTER THEIR EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS, AND THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK WARRANTED PROPER IRR-SERVICE TRAINING THAT WAS STILL NON-EXISTENT IN HONG KONG.

RECENT TRAGIC CASES EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKERS TO HAVE IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE IN ADDITION TO THE GENERIC TRAINING THEY RECEIVE.

MR HUI REGRETTED THAT NO EFFORT HAD BEEN MADE TO EQUIP SOCIAL WORKERS TO DEAL WITH THEIR NEW RESPONSIBILITIES ARISING FROM THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ORDINANCE.

'WITH THE STRENGTHENING OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING DIVISION IN THE COMING YEAR, I MUST URGE THE DEPARTMENT то ENSURE THAT THE TRAINING NEEDS OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, WHICH EMPLOYS TWO THIRDS OF OUR SOCIAL WORKERS, WILL BE ADEQUATELY MET.'

I

HE SAID THAT THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM, SET TO ENSURE THAT SOCIAL WORK TASKS WOULD BE PERFORMED BY QUALIFIED SOCIAL WORKERS, SHOULD RECEIVE FULL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

/ON FRINGE