10
Thursday, March 28, 1974
It is not realised, he pointed out, that the disabled, whether
they are mentally or physically handicapped, are like that through no
fault of their own.
"They are members of our society and are entitled to equal
chances like anyone else."
Mr. Chan said specialisation in production processes offer
many simple repetitive jobs which able-bodied workers find boring and
meaningless, but which the handicapped, with proper vocational training,
could do.
The Social Welfare Department, he said, has two centres where
disabled people receive vocational training before they are found work
so they are put into jobs with some basic training.
"What they need is patience, understanding and the chance to
prove themselves."
"For example," Mr. Chan added, "during the past few years the Job
Placement Unit has placed some mentally-retarded persons in a variety
of jobs such as machine sewere in a factory making bedsheets and pillows,
some in a garment factory as packers and others in a paper products
factory as casual workers."
Last month his unit also secured employment for another 23
disabled people comprising a cured T.B. patient, five ex-mental patients,
five deaf people and 12 cripples. They were found jobs as clerks, machine
sewers, apprentices, type-setters, assemblers, packers, and one as a
lift-operator in a hotel,
I
/11