XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

OUR

THESE PROPOSALS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PLEDGES:

17,600 ELDERLY BY COST OF MORE

* TO IMPROVE THE STANDARDS OF SAFETY AND CARE FOR THE

OLD PEOPLE LIVING IN PRIVATE HOMES FOR THE

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COVER THE OFFERING STRINGENT SAFETY REQUIREMENTS AND BY TRAINING AN 400 HEALTH WORKERS.

*

HE

ADDITIONAL

NEXT ΤΟ NEW TEAMS 9,500 ELDERLY

TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY. YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ESTABLISH FOUR PROVIDE MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC CARE FOR PEOPLE EACH YEAR IN RESIDENTIAL INSTITUTIONS. THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO RESTORE THE EYESIGHT OF AN EXTRA 850 ELDERLY CATARACT PATIENTS EACH YEAR BY REDUCING THE AVERAGE WAITING TIME FOR SURGERY FROM 15 MONTHS TO LESS THAN NINE MONTHS.

TO

SET UP A $200 MILLION ELDERLY SERVICES DEVELOPMENT FUND HELP NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS ESTABLISH SELF-FINANCING WELFARE PROJECTS FOR THE ELDERLY.

SAID: "I THINK THESE MEASURES ARE A CLEAR DEMONSTRATION DETERMINATION TO PROVIDE GREATER SUPPORT AND PROTECTION

ELDERLY."

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THERE WOULD BE 700,000 ELDERLY AGED 65 OR OVER BY THE YEAR 2000, 22 PER CENT MORE THAN TODAY,

++

OF

FOR THE

PEOPLE

IN

GROWING SO THE ELDERLY POPULATION IS ALREADY SO LARGE, AND

THAT THERE RAPIDLY,

FOR FURTHER DELAYS CAN BE NO GOOD EXCUSE SETTING UP A SCHEME TO MEET THEIR NEEDS," HE SAID.

OVERWHELMING PUBLIC SUPPORT ON OLD-AGE PENSION SCHEME

THERE IS OVERWHELMING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS ON OLD-AGE PENSION SCHEME ALTHOUGH IT STILL HAS ITS CRITICS, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS ANNUAL POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR PATTEN SAID: "IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT WE SHOULD SCRAP THE LOW LEVEL OF

WE CONTRIBUTIONS

OUT HAVE PROPOSED AND FINANCE OLD AGE PENSIONS

OF

GENERAL REVENUE.

"IF WE FOLLOWED THIS COURSE, THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER WOULD BE VERY SUBSTANTIAL.

"FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE RATE OF CORPORATE ΤΟ PROFITS TAX TO 20.5 PER CENT AND THE STANDARD RATE OF SALARIES TAX

FOR THE 19 PER

SIMPLY TO ACHIEVE THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT CENT, ELDERLY WHICH OUR PROPOSED OLD-AGE PENSION SCHEME WOULD PROVIDE.

"IT HAS ALSO BEEN ARGUED THAT A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND, OR SOME OTHER FORM OF COMPULSORY RETIREMENT SCHEME, WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION.

/"BUT SUCH