TNAG-1731-FCO40-2444-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 156

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DRAFT SPEECH BY HON HO SAI CHU, MBE, JP LEGISLATIVÈ COUNCIL 25 MAY 1988

Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance Resolution to Reduce the Rate of Levy

MR. HO SAI-CHU (in Cantonese):

Sir,

It is learnt from the Secretary for Education and

le Manpower when he moved the Resolution on the Réduction of the Aate le of Levy that the number of claimants who asked for payments from

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the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund has dropped from 472 in 1982 to 166 in 1987. This indicates that the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance and other legislations which aims to protect the health of workers have gone a long way in achieving

the intended results.

As

Pneumoconiosis is a chronic and painful disease. early as two years ago I had appealed to the Government that prevention is the most important means to cope with the disease. Compensation payments are merely financial recompense, which can never compensate for the physical and mental sufferings of the

victims.

سلام

be

le

Although the rate of levy for the Compensation Fund has been reduced time and again, with the decreasing number of claims from the compensation Fund, the size of the Púnd still increased from $72 million in January 1987 to $111 million in February this

year. In view of the significant size of the fund, I support a

further reduction of its rate of levy. Furthermore, I am of the view that good use of the Fund should be made towards the

prevention of the disease. Though the Government has decided in October 1987 to extend the use of the Fund towards research,

publicity and education programmes for the prevention of the

(I)