XN000022-1991-03-13 — Page 30

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1991

28

SOCIAL WELFARE WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED

* * *

THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (WEDNESDAY) PUBLISHED A WHITE

STRATEGIES OUT

AND SETTING

ITS POLICIES WELFARE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES INTO THE 1990'S AND BEYOND.

PAPER ON

FOR THE

HEALTH AND DEMONSTRATED THE MORE CARING

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, THE SECRETARY FOR WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID THE WHITE PAPER

STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE BUILDING UP OF A GOVERNMENT'S

COMMUNITY.

PAPER

MRS WONG CHAIRED A WORKING PARTY WHICH PUBLISHED A DRAFT

TOTAL 1990 FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION. A IN SEPTEMBER

MET ON RECEIVED WERE

AND THE WORKING PARTY SUBMISSIONS

OF THE OCCASIONS ΤΟ RE-EXAMINE ITS PROPOSALS IN THE LIGHT

COUNCIL, LEGISLATIVE COMMENTS AND VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE BOARDS AND A WIDE RANGE OF SEMINARS.

PRESENT

WHITE

OF 237 SEVERAL

WRITTEN

DISTRICT

SYSTEM

OF

WAS "IT

GENERALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SOCIAL SERVICES WAS BUILT ON SOUND AND ACCEPTABLE FOUNDATIONS BUT THAT IMPROVEMENTS AND INNOVATION WOULD BE NEEDED TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS SHE SAID, AND EXPECTATIONS OF OUR SOCIETY IN THE 1990'S AND BEYOND, SUMMARISING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

"

AGREED

THAT THE STATED

+1

PHILOSOPHY

AND

IT WAS GENERALLY

WELFARE SERVICES DIRECTIONS PROPOSED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WERE ACCEPTABLE BUT CONCERN WAS RAISED ABOUT THE VAGUENESS OF PROPOSED FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE APPARENT LACK OF COMMITMENT TO SHE ADDED.

FUNDING,

MRS WONG SAID THE WHITE PAPER NOW INCLUDED SCHEDULE AND AN ESTIMATE OF THE COSTS INVOLVED.

AN

IMPLEMENTATION

"IT 18 ESTIMATED THAT THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR THE SERVICE BILLION PROGRAMMES REVIEWED IN THE WHITE PAPER WILL AMOUNT TO SOME $5

IN 1999/2000," IN 1991/92,

ANNOUNCED.

TO RISING

MORE THAN

BILLION $7

SHE

REPORT THE WHITE PAPER DIFFERS FROM THE WORKING PARTY'S DRAFT

THE COMMENTS MADE IN SEVERAL OTHER RESPECTS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT DURING THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE.

POSSIBILITIES

MRS WONG OF

TO CONCERN IN SAID THAT

RESPONSE FEE-CHARGING, IT HAD BEEN DECIDED

ABOUT THE THAT A WORKING

PARTY OF GOVERNMENT AND SERVICE AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES WOULD BE FORMED TO STUDY FURTHER HOW THIS CONCEPT MIGHT BE DEVELOPED.

THERE WAS ALSO A STRONG CALL FOR THE WHITE PAPER TO ADDRESS THE FOR CONSEQUENCES OF AN AGING POPULATION ON THE PROVISION OF SERVICES THE ELDERLY.

TERMS PAPER,

1+

OF

+

RETIREMENT PROVISION FOR THE ELDERLY DID NOT FALL WITHIN

OF THE REFERENCE OF THE WORKING PARTY OR THE SCOPE MRS WONG POINTED OUT.

THE

WHITE

/"HOWEVER, THE

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