XN000022-1989-12-18 — Page 5

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 18. 1989

"AS THE GOVERNMENT FULLY

UNDERSTANDS THAT THE MANUFACTURERS WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO CHANGE THE STANDARDS OF THEIR PRODUCTS TO BE IN LINE WITH THE LAW, WE WILL PERMIT A SUITABLE GRACE PERIOD FOR THE *ANUFACTURERS AS WELL AS IMPORTERS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO MAKE THE NECESSARY FREPARATION AND ADJUSTMENT, HE SAID.

MR CHAN SAID THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION ON TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY WOULD NOT BE THE LAST OF THE LEGISLATION IN THE AREA OF CONSUMER PROTECTION.

"IN FUTURE, WE WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ LOOK AFTER OTHER NEEDS OF CONSUMERS AND PROVIDE REASONABLE PROTECTION FOR THEM, HE SAID.

PUBLIC VIEWS ON DEVELOPMENT OF WELFARE SERVICES SOUGHT

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, TODAY (MONDAY) INVITED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF WELFARE SERVICES IN THE 1990'S AND BEYOND.

SPEAKING AT THE FIRST QUARTERLY MEETING (1989-90) OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, MRS WONG SAID MUCH CHANGES HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS SINCE THE PUBLICATION OF THE 1979 WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL SERVICE.

IN

"THERE CERTAINLY IS A NEED TO TAKE STOCK OF DEVELOPMENTS THE WELFARE FIELD, AND AFFIRM THEIR APPROPRIATENESS AND ADEQUACY, OR OTHERWISE, IN MEETING THE SOCIETY'S CHANGING NEEDS, SHE SAID.

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MRS ONG SAID A WORKING PARTY WOULD BE SET UP SOON TO CONDU THE REVIEW AND DRAFT THE WHITE PAPER WHICH SHOULD BE READY BY T SECOND HALF OF NEXT YEAR.

SHE SAID DRAFTERS OF THE POLICY PAPER WOULD CONEX T THE UPON THE BASIS OF THE EXISTING SOCIAL WELFARE STRUCTURE.

REVIEW

"WE AIM TO ACHIEVE WHAT IS POSSIBLE AT THE REALISTIC LEVEL, HAVING REGARD TO THE INEVITABLE NEED ΤΟ SET PRIORITIES BETWEEN SERVICES SHOULD THERE BE CONSTRAINTS IN RESOURCES, SHE SAID.

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ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMMES WHICH COMPRISED OF A WIDE RANGE OF NON-CONTRIBUTORY SCHEMES FOR THOSE PROVEN TO BE IN NEED, MRS WONG SAID THE REVIEW WOULD LOOK INTO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THESE SCHEMES IN THE LIGHT OF CHANGES IN THE SOCIETY.

THE WORKING PARTY WOULD ALSO CONSIDER WHETHER THE EXISTING PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WAS CONDUCIVE TO ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVE OF "CARE IN THE COMMUNITY" AND WHETHER IMPROVEMENTS WOULD BE REQUIRED, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT FAMILY AND CHILD CARE SERVICE WOULD CERTAINLY BE AN AREA IN WHICH THE WORKING PARTY WOULD LOOK INTO.

/MRS WONG