XN000022-1988-04-21 — Page 32

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1988

THE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WERE INADEQUATE FOR RETAINING DOCTORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, HE ADDED.

HE THEREFORE APPEALED TO THE COUNCIL AND THE FUTURE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY TO EXAMINE SUCH AN ACUTE SITUATION AND CONSIDER PROVIDING SUFFICIENT FUNDS ΤΟ IMPROVE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AND OPPORTUNITIES.

TURNING TO THE LOWERING OF THE STANDARD TAX RATE TO CENT, MR TAI POINTED OUT THAT ONLY 53,000 OF THE 700,000 TAXPAYERS PAID AT THE STANDARD RATE BUT THEY CONTRIBUTED 56 OF THE TOTAL TAX YIELD.

TRAINING

15.5

PER

ELIGIBLE

PER CENT

"THIS TAX BURDEN CONCENTRATES ON A SMALL NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS. THIS SITUATION IS NEGOTIABLE AS THE SOCIETY OF HONG KONG OWES SO MUCH TO SO FEW," HE SAID.

'BACKED BY THE CUMULATIVE SURPLUS IN BUDGETTING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD GIVE CONSIDERATION ΤΟ THE POSSIBILITY OF GRANTING AN INCREASE IN THE PERSONAL ALLOWANCE AND A TAX CONCESSION TO THOSE IN THE MIDDLE INCOME BRACKET AS ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE IDEA OF WIDENING THE TAX NET, MR TAI CHANGES TO THE INDIRECT TAX SYSTEM WOULD AFFECT MUCH MORE THAN DID DIRECT TAX.

AN

SAID THAT OF SOCIETY

"ANY CHANGE WITHOUT STRONG JUSTIFYING GROUNDS WILL ONLY DISTRESS A WIDE SECTION OF THE PUBLIC. THEREFORE EVERY MOVE TOWARDS INDIRECT TAX SHOULD BE VERY CAREFULLY SCRUTINISED IF RESENTMENT AND DISTRESS IS TO BE AVOIDED.'

SOCIAL

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