XN000022-1991-11-20 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1991

"WILL YOU STILL NEED ME?

WILL YOU STILL FEED ME

WHEN I AM 64?"

HONG KONG'S SENIOR CITIZENS MAY WELL ASK A SIMILAR QUESTION. JUDGING FROM THE TENURE OF TODAY'S DEBATE, I THINK THE ANSWER MUST BE A RESOUNDING "YES". WE WILL LOOK AFTER OUR ELDERLY PEOPLE. WE WILL PLAN AHEAD.

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, I AM GRATEFUL FOR HONOURABLE MEMBERS' CONCERN OVER THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. I THINK THE MOTION OUGHT TO BF SUPPORTED: AND SUPPORTED NOT ONLY WITH FINE WORDS BUT PRACTICAL ACTION.

I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINT CO-OPERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SEM ON CARE FOR THE ELDERLY

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON CARE SECRETARY FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,

TODAY URGES

THE

THE MOTION BEFORE US

GOVERNMENT то IMMEDIATE

GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THE FORMULATION OF AN COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON THE CARE OF THE ELDERLY.

OVERALL AND AS HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY SEVERAL SPEAKERS, AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF SUCH A POLICY IS TO ENCOURAGE AND FOSTER SELF-RELIANCE AMONG THE SENIOR MEMBERS COMMUNITY.

OF OUR IN THE LIGHT OF DEMOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS AND OF THE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES

ACCEPTS IS NOW A GREATER NEED FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE RETIREMENT AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP UNDER MY HAS ALREADY STARTED TO EXAMINE HOW THIS NEED SHOULD BEST BE MET.

CHAIRMANSHIP

HAVE SAID

AS I PREVIOUSLY IN THIS CHAMBER, WE WOULD WELCOME PROPOSALS FROM ALL SOURCES.

ADVICE AND WE ALSO INTEND TO CONSULT WIDELY ONCE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME FEASIBLE OPTIONS.

WE

ASPIRATIONS

THAT THERE

SCHEMES.

AND

/RETIREMENT PROTECTION