The Social Welfare Bureau is going to increase the regular subsidy for local social services organisations by 6.8 per cent backdated to January, according to a statement issued by the Bureau yesterday. The Bureau says an additional MOP45 million will be allocated because of the increase. Authorities stressed that the adjustment is an increase since the subsidy for local social services organisations was increased by a rate higher than inflation last April, at 7 per cent. The government hopes that the increased subsidy will help give personnel in this sector a better salary and welfare so that human resources are more stable in addition to improving the conditions of the services. The Social Welfare Bureau have also indicated that they have finished conducting research on the subsidy scheme for local social services organisations and are collecting opinions from relevant parties. The new scheme is expected to be launched in the second half of this year.
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