XN000022-1994-06-23 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1994

"DISCUSSIONS

IN THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE ON THESE (GATT) AND ELSEWHERE ARE BEGINNING TO TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ISSUES AND, IN PARTICULAR, ON THE NEXUS BETWEEN COMPETITION POLICY AND ANTI-DUMPING.

IN A ARE ONLY THE WELL-

"THE TRICK WILL BE TO RESTORE THE RIGHTS OF THE CONSUMER. GLOBAL ECONOMY, NATIONAL INTERESTS AND BUSINESS INTERESTS IDENTICAL WHEN, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT, THEY WORK TOWARDS BEING OF THE COMMON MAN AND WOMAN."

SEEN

AT THE

MR MILLER SAID THE CLOSING YEARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY HAD THE TRIUMPH OF THE MARKET OVER CENTRALLY PLANNED ECONOMICS NATIONAL LEVEL.

"THE CHALLENGE AS WE ENTER THE NEW MILLENNIUM IS TO ENSURE THAT FREE THE MARKET TRIUMPHS INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL, IN THE VICTORY TRADE OVER MANAGED TRADE, HE SAID.

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SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE RATES

IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BRANCH ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:

"THE

GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY DR STEWART MACPHERSON OF THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG ON THE ADEQUACY OF SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE RATES IN HONG KONG, WE WILL EXAMINE VERY CAREFULLY THE DETAILS OF ITS FINDINGS WHEN THEY RECOME AVAILABLE.

"THE COMPREHENSIVE

SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE (CSSA) SCHEME PROVIDES A SAFETY NET FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

"THE CSSA RATES ARE KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED ARE GIVEN THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE. WE WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE RESEARCH FINDINGS IN OUR REVIEW.

"THE CSSA RATES HAVE INCREASED BY ALMOST 15 TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES WHILE THE RATE OF INFLATION AS MEASURED BY CPI(A) HAS GONE UP BY ONLY SIX TIMES DURING THE SAME PERIOD.

"WE

CURRENT

HAVE ALSO MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS FROM $2.6 BILLION FIVE YEARS AGO TO $6 BILLION IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR.

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