XN000022-1992-10-21 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1992

- 6

ALTERNATIVES TO PRINTED TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES WILL BE CONSIDERED

OF

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER SYMPATHETICALLY PROPOSALS FROM THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT COST-EFFECTIVE, CUSTOMER-ORIENTED ALTERNATIVES TO REDUCE FURTHER DEMAND FOR PRINTED TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE ACTING SECRETARY ECONOMIC SERVICES, MRS

REPLY ELIZABETH BOSHER, IN A WRITTEN QUESTION BY DR THE HON SAMUEL WONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE

FOR

TO A

"WHILST AS AN ELEMENT IN

ENCOURAGES THE RECYCLE TO

OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY TO REDUCE USE OF AND, WHERE

POLICY TO PAPER, IT IS NOT PRESENT

TARGET

POLICY

GOVERNMENT PRACTICAL, SPECIFIC PUBLICATIONS ISSUED BY PRIVATE COMPANIES," MRS BOSHER SAID.

NOT MAINTAIN RECORDS OF THE NUMBER OF

DISTRIBUTED BY THE

THE

GOVERNMENT

DOES

PRINTED DIRECTORIES TELEPHONE TELEPHONE COMPANY LTD.

OR

HONG

KONG

"HOWEVER, WE UNDERSTAND THAT DEMAND FOR PRINTED TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES IS ON THE DECLINE, SHE SAID.

||

MRS BOSHER SAID TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES HAD LONG BEEN AN INTEGRAL TELEPHONE PART OF THE PUBLIC TELEPHONIC SERVICE PROVIDED BY HONG KONG COMPANY UNDER ITS EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE.

WOULD IN

ΤΟ PRESS THE COMPANY TO CEASE PROVIDING DIRECTORIES THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW BE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE OVERALL TELECOMS POLICY

OF ENSURING OBJECTIVE

RANGE THAT THE WIDEST POSSIBLE

REASONABLE CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AT BOSHER ADDED.

OF SERVICES

COST,

MRS

NO PLANS TO SCRAP ABSENCE RULES FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS

ALLOW

* * *

WITH

AND

FOR SOCIAL SECURITY THE NEW 180 DAYS OF PERMITTED ABSENCE

TO PEOPLE

SPEND MORE ELDERLY

TIME RECIPIENTS WOULD RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OUTSIDE HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID.

ANY ELDERLY HOWEVER, IF THE ABSENCE RULE WAS TO BE ABOLISHED,

WOULD RECEIVE SOCIAL PERSON WHO

THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FULFILS

HE IS SETTLED SECURITY PAYMENTS FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE EVEN IF PERMANENTLY ELSEWHERE, SHE SAID.

"THIS WOULD CREATE A TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL BURDEN TO IN HONG KONG," SHE SAID.

THE

TAXPAYERS

IN SOCIAL FINANCED

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUI-CHUNG

MRS WONG SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY), LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SECURITY SCHEMES IN HONG KONG WERE NON-CONTRIBUTORY AND WERE BY TAXPAYERS' MONEY.

"AS SUCH,