18
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
generally had to be ruled out because they did not operate amongst that sector of the population which contains the greatest proportion of recent immigrants-the closest, for reasons which will by now be obvious, that Hong Kong can get to allocating funds specifically for the relief of refugees.
The Hong Kong Government therefore decided to prepare an official list of projects which the Government considered worthy of presentation to the world at large, with the suggestion that donors support these projects as far as possible. The Government hoped that in this manner it might be possible to effect a degree of concentration on a co-ordinated programme without over- circumscribing the individual wishes of donors; particularly if the schemes chosen gave scope for diverse interests.
With all these considerations in mind, the Government gave first place in the official programme to the building of six Com- munity Centres in or near the Resettlement Estates. These Centres will be of real assistance in the task of integrating new-comers into Hong Kong in the fullest sense as well as providing for a much needed expansion in a number of social welfare activities. The intention is that the Social Welfare Department will occupy only a small part of each of these Community Centres for its own direct activities. The Department will make the remaining space available to any voluntary agencies which care to avail themselves of the opportunity to expand their own activities-World Refugee Year funds received directly by the voluntary agencies will no doubt finance these activities in some cases. The Centres will initially be housed in 5-storey structures built to the same design as a standard 24-classroom Government primary school, with minor modifications. This use of an existing design saves much architectural effort and eliminates many delays in construction. The Social Welfare Department does not intend to impose any over-rigid pattern on the activities of the various agencies in these Community Centres, and the organization of each will vary with the needs and wishes of the people of the area which they serve, and with the suggestions and desires of the voluntary agencies themselves, whose co-operation is such an essential part of the scheme.
For those primarily interested in education, the official list suggests the building of additional primary schools in or near