XN000022-1988-04-21 — Page 31

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1988

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"MOREOVER, OWING TO THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS, MANY PLANNED SOCIAL SERVICES, IN TERMS OF QUALITY AND QUANTITY, CANNOT COPE WITH THE ACTUAL DEMAND

"

MRS TAM ALSO ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER DEVELOPING SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TARGET GROUPS SUCH AS THOSE COMING FROM SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES, TEENAGE GIRLS WHO RAN AWAY FROM HOME FREQUENTLY AND YOUNG MARRIED WOMEN WHO REQUIRED HELP AFTER MOVING TO THE NEW TOWNS.

ON THE FUNDING FOR WELFARE SERVICES, MRS TAM NOTED THAT ORGANISATIONS THAT DONATED PART OF THEIR PROFITS TOWARDS CHARITABLE PURPOSES COULD ONLY ENJOY A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE ALLOWANCE OF NOT MORE THAN 10 PER CENT OF THEIR TOTAL PROFITS.

SHE SAID THAT SUCH PROVISION DISCOURAGED ORGANISATIONS MAKING MORE DONATIONS FOR USE ON SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.

FROM

WERE

AS LONG AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SHOW ENCOURAGEMENT BY RAISING SUBSTANTIALLY THE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE ALLOWANCE FOR CHARITABLE DONATIONS.

MORE DETAILS NEEDED ON HOSPITAL AUTHORITY

i

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE NOW TO GIVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, IT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ITS FINANCIAL PROVISIONING.

THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH MADE THIS CALL DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TODAY (THURSDAY).

MR TAI SAID IT WAS DISAPPOINTING THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY MADE NO MENTION OF THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH.

OWING TO ITS IMPORTANCE, THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE INFORMED OF ITS COMPOSITION AS WELL AS THE BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS, HE SAID.

COMMENTING ON THE FORECAST SHORTFALL OF DOCTORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR FROM 1988 TO 1996, MR TAI SAID THE MAIN THE HIGH WASTAGE RATE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.

REASON

FOR THIS

WAS

/THE PRESENT