XN000022-1989-04-27 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 1989

BUDGET FAILS TO RE-DISTRIBUTE WEALTH: Y F HUI * * * * *

A FAIR DISTRIBUTION THE 1989-90 BUDGET FAILED TO BRING ABOUT

WAS EXCESSIVELY PRUDENT, OF WEALTH FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND

YIN-FAT EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE AND TOTALLY DISAPPOINTING, THE HON HUI SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING IN

THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL

DURING THE SECOND-DAY

BUDGET DEBATE, MR HUI SAID THAT IN THE LIGHT OF HONG KONG'S VOLATILE THE WISDOM ECONOMY AND THE FORESEEABLE DOWNTURN OF INFLATION TRENDS, OF SAVING UP

BUILDING OF INFRASTRUCTURE

QUESTIONABLE.

EXCESSIVELY FOR THE

"THE CONCESSIONS MADE ON SALARIES TAX AND PROFITS TAX NO BENEFIT THE OPULENT WHO BECOME RICHER, WHILE THE GENUINELY POOR REMAIN POOR," HE SAID.

TWO-THIRDS HE SAID THAT WITH

WAS

DOUBT

STILL

AND

LEFT

AFTER FOR

IMPROVING

OF SOCIAL WELFARE EXPENDITURE

PAYMENTS, SECURITY BY SOCIAL THIS YEAR BEING ABSORBED

LITTLE VERY DEDUCTING INFLATION-ADJUSTED COSTS, EXPANDING EXISTING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, NOT TO SERVICE STANDARDS.

WAS MENTION

TO THOSE WHO ARE ALL SECTORS

"A PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY DOES NOT ONLY CATER LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO AIMS AT ENABLING OF THE COMMUNITY TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS, SAID.

..

HE

OF SOCIAL SUBVENTION FROM YEAR WAS

FROM FAR

WELFARE $1.18 BILLION

IN ADEQUATE

DEPARTMENT

LAST MEETING THAT

SAID THAT HE

INCREASE THE EXPENDITURE AND SOCIAL WELFARE YEAR TO $1.3 BILLION THIS CURRENT SHORTFALLS IN PROVISIONS AND ENHANCING SERVICE STANDARDS HAD ROLLED BACK AND DETERIORATED OVER THE YEARS.

10 PER CENT OF

PROCEEDS, LOTTERIES FUND

THE LOTTERIES HE SUGGESTED THAT INSTEAD OF THE PRESENT 3.5 PER CENT, SHOULD GO TO THE WHICH WAS SET ASIDE FOR WELFARE PURPOSES.

ALLOCATION PROJECTS, AND THE GENERATE

HE SAID THAT HALF OF THE 10 PER CENT LOTTERIES FUND SHOULD BE DESIGNED FOR CAPITAL GRANTS FOR WELFARE

A REVOLVING FUND TO REMAINING HALF SHOULD BE USED AS INTERESTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.

TURNING TO SALES TAX, HE SAID THE SOCIAL AGAINST THE IDEA OF A SALES TAX.

WORK PROFESSION WAS

"WE LOOK UPON THE

GOVERNMENT'S

EXPRESSED

NEED

MORE STABLE INCOME IN THE LIGHT OF RISING INFLATION AS BUILD UP ITS OWN RESOURCES," HE SAID.

FOR SECURING AN EXCUSE TO

INTRODUCING SALES

BESIDES, TO LOWER THE DIRECT TAX RATE AFTER TAX COULD ONLY WIDEN THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR, HE SAID.

/IF, HOWEVER,