XN000022-1993-04-23 — Page 10

FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1993

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WHICH

"THE

EX-GRATIA SCHEME IS DISTINCT FROM THE PCS UNDER THE PCO IS FUNDED BY A LEVY ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND QUARRYING INDUSTRIES, MRS YAU SAID.

"IT IS NOT A FORM OF COMPENSATION,

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SHE STRESSED.

RECEIVED EX-GRATIA

SHE SAID THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE HAD ALREADY PAYMENTS ON AN ONE-OFF BASIS.

"THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE. THOUGH NOT ELIGIBLE TO CLAIM COMPENSATION, DESERVE SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY, SHE SAID.

MRS YAU ALSO SAID IN PARALLEL WITH IMPROVING THE BENEFITS ΤΟ THE PNEUMOCONIOTICS, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION IN ORDER TO RAISE EMPLOYERS' AND WORKERS' AWARENESS OF THE DISEASE.

AT THE SAME TIME, LEGISLATIVE MEASURES WOULD BE TAKEN TO TIGHTEN UP CONTROL OVER WORKING IN DUSTY ENVIRONMENT.

THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS ANGELA HO, ALSO GAVE DETAILS OF THE PCS AND THE EX-GRATIA SCHEME.

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"UNDER THE PCS, A PNEUMOCONIOTIC WHO SUFFERS INCAPACITY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY PAYMENT UNTIL HIS DEATH, MRS HO SAID.

MRS HO SAID THE AMOUNT OF MONTHLY PAYMENTS WOULD BE INFLATION- ADJUSTED ANNUALLY AND A PNEUMOCONJOTIC MAY ASK TO BE RE-EXAMINED EVERY TWO YEARS.

"IF HE SUFFERS ADDITIONAL INCAPACITY, THE AMOUNT OF PAYMENT WOULD BE REVISED UPWARD, SHE SAID.

ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT FEATURE OF THE IMPROVED SCHEME IS THAT IT ALLOW A PNEUMOCONIOTIC WHO HAS ALREADY RECEIVED COMPENSATION ΤΟ FURTHER COMPENSATION FOR ANY ADDITIONAL INCAPACITY HE MAY HAVE

WILL CLAIM SUFFERED.

"HE CAN APPLY TO JOIN THE NEW SCHEME AT ANY TIME AND NIS ENTITLEMENT TO ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION WILL COMMENCE ON THE DATE ON WHICH THE AMENDMENT BILL COMES INTO EFFECT PROVIDED THE APPLICATION IS MADE WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS, MRS HO SAID.

"BASED ON SOME 2,000 EXISTING CASES, MORE THAN 75 PER CENT OF THE PNEUMOCONJOTICS WERE ASSESSED TO HAVE SUFFERED FROM INCAPACITY 20 PER CENT OR LESS.

OF

"ASSUMING THAT THEIR DEGREE OF INCAPACITY HAS DOUBLED SINCR THEIR LAST MEDICAL ASSESSMENT, THE AMOUNT OF MONTHLY PAYMENT PAYABLE TO THEM WOULD BE IN THE RANGE OF $1,372 TO $2,744

... SHE SAID.

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ON THE PROPOSED EX-GRATIA SCHEME, MRS HO SAID THE AMOUNT OF EX- GRATIA PAYMENT WOULD BE $2,200 A MONTH PAYABLE ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

"THE SUM WILL BE PAID TO THE PNEUMOCONIOTIC IN ADVANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH QUARTER,' SHE SAID.

/"IF A

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