XN000022-1993-03-19 — Page 12

FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1993

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THE MOST RECENT IMPROVEMENT, THE CHILD SUPPLEMENT, WAS INTRODUCED IN NOVEMBER 1991 TO HELP MEET THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN.

"THE CHILD SUPPLEMENT IS PAID ON TOP OF OTHER ALLOWANCES FOR CHILDREN SUCH AS SCHOOL FEES, TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES TO SCHOOL, SCHOOL UNIFORM, BOOKS AND STATIONERY," HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME ON JULY 1, THE MONTHLY PAYMENT RECEIVED BY THE CLIENTS WOULD BE IMPROVED IN REAL TERMS BY BETWEEN FOUR PER CENT AND 32 PER CENT AND WOULD BE ABOVE THE REGULAR ADJUSTMENT FOR INFLATION.

MORE THAN 100,000 OF THE MORE VULNERABLE MEMBERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE NEW SCHEME.

GREATER THE

"THE SCHEME IS SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE SO THAT THE NEED, THE GREATER IS THE SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

**

UNDER THE NEW SCHEME, A SINGLE PERSON AGED 70 WHO IS NOT PAYING RENT (FOR EXAMPLE LIVING IN A SQUATTER HUT) WILL RECEIVE AN AVERAGE OF $1,690 A MONTH. HIS MEDICAL FEES REQUIRED ARE WAIVED AT GOVERNMENT CLINICS AND HOSPITALS UNDER THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY.

PEDESTRIAN SUBWAY PLANNED FOR POK FU LAM

THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT PROPOSES TO

CONSTRUCT A PEDESTRIAN

SUBWAY SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED ROAD IMPROVEMENT WORKS AT THE JUNCTION OF POK FU LAM ROAD AND POKFIELD ROAD.

THE WORKS WILL IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC CAPACITY OF THIS SECTION OF POK FU LAM ROAD WHICH IS AT PRESENT A BOTTLENECK FOR THE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC DURING THE MORNING PEAK HOURS.

SYSTEM ACCESS

PROPOSED WORKS INCLUDED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PEDESTRIAN SUBWAY ACROSS POK FU LAM ROAD AND POKFIELD ROAD AND THE ANCILLARY RAMP AND STAIRCASES.

AN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC LANE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AT POKFIELD ROAD APPROACH ADJACENT TO ACADEMIC TERRACE AND THE ASSOCIATED ROAD AND DRAINAGE WORKS.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, THE SUBWAY SYSTEM WILL NOT ONLY PROVIDE A SAFE GRADE-SEPARATED CROSSING FOR THE PEDESTRIANS BUT ALSO LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE TRAFFIC CAPACITY OF THIS ROAD JUNCTION UTILISING THE "GREEN" TIME ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED TO THE PEDESTRIAN PHASE FOR OTHER VEHICULAR PHASES.

A NOTICE ON THE PROPOSED WORKS IS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

BY

/A PLAN