Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Email this article news.gov.hk
Transcript of CS' remarks at media session in Tseung Kwan O (with photos/video)
************************************************************

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Stephen Lam, at a media session after visiting two facilities in Tseung Kwan O today (March 15):

     Today I have come to Tseung Kwan O to visit two facilities. Firstly, there is a primary school, which is sponsored by the Education Bureau to conduct a pilot project on e-textbooks. So far as I can see, this pilot project is warmly welcomed by teachers, parents and students. The teachers work very hard to produce the software for the e-textbook, the students also work very hard to do their homework on the computer, and parents warmly welcome this. Also, the computer programme, the e-textbooks are very interactive, so the students can listen to, for example, pronunciation of English words through the computer, and they can listen to it as many times as they want to ensure that they learn pronunciations properly. So that's the first facility that I saw, and the HKSAR Government will continue to promote the use of e-textbooks.

     The other visit that I made was to a CSSA recipient, an owner of a Tenant Purchase Scheme flat. He bought this flat some years ago. Also, some of these CSSA owners of Tenant Purchase Scheme flats do not have the means to meet the government rent, the rates and management fees. That is why, under the Community Care Fund, we have allocated to them a special ex-gratia allowance to help them meet their needs in terms of livelihood expenses.

     Now, the Community Care Fund is also thinking of providing a further programme to help meet the living expense requirements of those families which are inadequately housed. The outline of the scheme, which we are thinking of for the time being, includes the following elements:

     Firstly, these families, these residents, have to be living in inadequate accommodation such as bed spaces, temporary housing and cubicles. Secondly, they have to be people who are within certain income limits, for example median household income is one reference; alternatively, we may refer to the income limits of families which apply for public rental housing. Thirdly, they cannot be recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, nor can they be owners of properties. We do not want to have a phenomenon of people obtaining double benefits.

     And finally, we are examining the possibility of introducing such a scheme under the Community Care Fund. We believe that the financial implications of this scheme will be limited - somewhere between $50 million to $60 million will do. For the time being, this will be examined by the Welfare Subcommittee of the Community Care Fund and thereafter by the Steering Committee of the Community Care Fund.

     We hope that this will help the Community Care Fund to meet the needs of those who are less fortunate among the Hong Kong community, and those who have fewer means to look after themselves.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Thursday, March 15, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:32

NNNN

Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo
Print this page