health service won't be hurt by cuts, says Yeoh
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong said yesterday cuts to the health-care budget would not affect the quality of health services available in Hong Kong. He said it was vital to maintain the standard of services provided by all government departments, even though funding would be slashed. Dr Yeoh dismissed as speculation recent reports that the Health Department budget would be cut by 13 per cent. He said the budget reduction would not exceed 11 per cent over the next five budget years, and all departments should have room to reduce expenses by cutting staff allowances and simplifying department structures.
universities urged to share facilities
To ease budgetary pressures, universities should share facilities and introduce differential fees based on students' areas of study, a professor said yesterday. Speaking at RTHK's City Forum in Victoria Park, Choi Kai-yan, an associate professor of the Hong Kong Shue Yan College, also emphasised the link between the academic and corporate worlds, urging universities to co-operate with entrepreneurs who could help them develop businesses out of some of their research projects. Tai Hei-lap, a member of the Education Commission, suggested setting up partnerships between universities, secondary and primary schools, to find areas for cutting costs.
11 mainlanders arrested
Eleven illegal immigrants aged 16 to 35 were arrested along the coast at Cape Collinson, Chai Wan. The immigrants were arrested as part of an operation lasting from Saturday night to yesterday morning. Police said the 11 were from the mainland.
