Press Releases

Transcript of media session by SHWF on population issues

    Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, after attending the Hospital Authority spring gathering today (February 22):

 

Reporter: Could you tell us in English?  CS is encouraging people to have more babies. Are there any welfare policies that you are thinking?

 

SHWF: I don't think there is any direct policy to encourage people to have more babies because whether one would like to be married or to have a big family depends on one's own choice. The most important responsibility of the government is to create a stable and comfortable environment, so that the people will be happy to get married and raise their families in HK. At the moment, we have a very good educational system. We also have a stable economy and a free society. So, in many ways, it is a very good environment to raise families.

 

Reporter: You just mentioned about building more elderly homes?

 

SHWF: No, I am not saying that. I said our policy was to encourage people to stay with their families. There are two big priorities of old folkies. Firstly, it is their health. Secondly, it is whether they can have their family with them. This is a very important priority. This is also the reason why we try to focus our development policy in the different districts, so that when the old people retire, they will be free to stay with their family, go to institutions or residence home. Hopefully the residence home is close to their children , so that they can be visited regularly. This is a very important aspect of our policy and that should be our long-term direction.

 

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

 

Ends/Tuesday, February 22, 2005

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