XN000022-1994-10-26 — Page 53

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1994

37

AND

GIVEN THE INCREASING DEMANDS FOR TRAINING AND THE CHANGES CHALLENGES WE FACE I CONSIDER THAT IT IS NOW TIME FOR US TO UNDERTAKE A ROOT AND BRANCH REVIEW OF ALL OUR TRAINING. THE REVIEW WILL EXAMINE WHETHER WE ARE GETTING THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY AND WHETHER IT MEETS NOT ONLY TODAY'S NEEDS BUT ALSO THOSE OF THE FUTURE. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS REVIEW WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE WELL- TRAINED, FORWARD-LOOKING CIVIL SERVANTS THAT LIVE UP TO THE INCREASING EXPECTATIONS OF THIS COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE.

MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES FIND THE COMBATIVE NATURE OF SOME OF OUR ENCOUNTERS WITH THIS COUNCIL DIFFICULT AND ARE CONCERNED BY THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY HAVE TO DEVOTE TO ITS BUSINESS. I AM ENCOURAGED THAT MANY MEMBERS ARE SYMPATHETIC TO THESE DIFFICULTIES AND HAVE SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS. MY COLLEAGUES AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULTS. IN RETURN, I WOULD LIKE ΤΟ REASSURE MEMBERS THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I RECOGNISE OUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS COUNCIL AND THE OBLIGATIONS THAT COME WITH IT.

ON THE BASIS OF THIS MUTUAL

UNDERSTANDING I DO HOPE THAT DESPITE THE INEVITABLE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS COLLEAGUES, SERVING OUR COMMON CONSTITUENTS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

SHW IN LEGCO DEBATE ON MOTION OF THANKS

FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY THE

THE

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND MRS KATHERINE FOK, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON MOTION OF THANKS TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

WELFARE.

MR PRESIDENT,

FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW OUR HEALTH AND WELFARE PROGRAMMES WILL RECEIVE THE LION'S SHARE OF THE NEW MONEY AVAILABLE. IT IS NOT SURPRISING, THEREFORE, THAT THESE PROGRAMMES SHOULD HAVE PROVOKED SOME LIVELY DEBATE AMONG MEMBERS. MY INTENTION TODAY IS TO RESPOND AS SUCCINCTLY BUT AS COMPREHENSIVELY AS I CAN TO MOST OF THE POINTS WHICH MEMBERS HAVE RAISED.

FIRST, WELFARE.

ELDERLY SERVICES

SOME MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE LACK OF A LONG-TERM PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE. THE WHITE PAPER ENTITLED "SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990S AND BEYOND" SETS OUT OUR POLICY FOR THE CARE OF ELDERLY PERSONS. IN SHORT, IT IS TO ASSIST AN ELDERLY PERSON TO LIVE IN HIS OWN COMMUNITY WITH DIGNITY. WE ALREADY HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF RESIDENTIAL CARE AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR OUR ELDERLY PEOPLE. THIS IS A GOOD AND SOLID FOUNDATION ON WHICH TO BUILD IN DEVELOPING OUR POLICIES AND SERVICES FOR THE FUTURE.

IN

VIEW OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES FACING HONG KONG, APPOINTED A SPECIAL WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW EXISTING AND SERVICES FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE. WE HAVE JUST DONE THAT.

THE

GOVERNOR POLICIES

/THE WORKING