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RSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1974
PHYSICALLY DISABLED WANT OPPORTUNITIES NOT PITY
SAYS DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL VEL FANE
THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED VANT OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE NORMAL LIVES JUST AS ANYONE ELSE, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE. MR. THOMAS LEE, STRESSED TODAY CTHURSDAY).
WHAT THEY DON'T WANT IS PITY, HE SAID. HR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE START OF THE OPEN DAY OF THE SUMMER PHAD CAMP WHICH IS BEING HELD AT VU KUAT SHA IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
HE SAIO MANY PEOPLE ALSO TEND TO THINK THAT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SUFFICIENT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF PHYSICALLY DISABLED PEOPLE.
+ THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED AND THE ACLE-BODIED SHOULD BE GIVEN
A CHANCE TO LEARN AND CO-OPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.+
THIS IS WHAT THE PHAD MOVEMENT IS ALL ABOUT HE SAID AND POINTED OUT THAT THE HONG KONG PHAD ASSOCIATION IS PROMOTING THE INTEGRATION OF THE PHYSICALLY DISACLED INTO SOCIETY THROUGH CLUBS, CAMPS AND OTHER REGULAR ACTIVITIES ON A DISTRICT BASIS.
FURTHERMORE, HE ADDED, THE PHAB MOVEMENT NOT ONLY EMPHASIZES REHABILITATION BUT ERCOURACES EFFORTS WHICH WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
IN TRACING ITS HISTORY, HR. LEE SAID THE WORK OF PHAB INTERNATIONAL WAS FIRST INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG BY A COMMITTEE MEMBER, MISS HARY RODINSON WHO CAME HERE IN 1970.
AS A RESULT, A WORKING PARTY WAS SET UP AND TWO CAMPS AND A SEMINAR ORGANIZED. THE FIRST PHAB CLUB WAS FORMED IN 1971 AND THE PHAD ASSOCIATION FORMALLY ESTABLISHED TWO YEARS LATER WITH A GRANT FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND.
LICENSED AREA RESIDENTS CALL FOR PUBLIC HOUSING
#E #1
ABOUT 100 PEOPLE, CLAIMING TO DE OCCUPANTS OF AREA +C+, CHEUNG SHA WAN LICENSED AREA, CALLED AT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S OFFICE IN MIDDLE ROAD THIS CTHURSDAY) NOMING REQUESTING FOR PUBLIC HOUSING.
OFFICERS OF THE LICENSING SECTION INTERVIEWED FIVE OF THEM.
THE REPRESENTATIVES CLAIMED THAT THEY WERE PROMISED RESETTLEMENT WITHIN 18 MONTHS BY OFFICIALS OF THE FORMER RESETTLEMENT DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY TOOK UP RESIDENCE THERE IN DECEMBER, 1971. FURTHERMORE THEY SAID THEIR LIVING CONDITION WAS GETTING WORSE WITH THE SETTING UP OF A POULTRY MARKET IN THE VICINITY RECENTLY.
HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING OVER OTHER LICENSEES, AND THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S LONG-STANDING POLICY UAS THAT THE LICENSEES WOULD BE OFFERED PUBLIC HOUSING WHEN THE LAND THEY VERE OCCUPY ING WAS REQUIRED FOR GENERAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING INTO THEIR CLAIMS AND A REPLY WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM IN ABOUT ONE WEEK'S TIME.
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