WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1976
5
+WHEN THEREFORE THE LEADER OF A GROUP SEES SOMETHING WRONG AND STARTS TO SAY SO THE HONG KONG REACTION IS TO BRING THIS PERSON INTO THE MACHINERY FOR DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM.
+HIS HELP IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM IS SOUGHT. HIS EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP ARE DEPLOYED IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM.
+OF COURSE HE DOES NOT ALWAYS GET HIS OWN WAY BUT HE IS ENABLED TO MAKE A REAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOLUTION OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN CO-OPERATION WITH OTHERS WHO IN TURN BENEFIT FROM THE NEW INSIGHT HE BRINGS.
+THIS IS WHAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SEEMS TO ME TO BE ABOUT,+ MR. BRAY SAID.
A GREAT MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAD LEARNED THAT ACTION AIMED AT DEALING WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS WAS A GOOD DEAL MORE SATISFYING THAN MAKING GRANDIOSE GESTURES ABOUT PROBLEMS WHICH WERE SO BIG THAT NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION WAS POSSIBLE - WHATEVER MIGHT BE FEASIBLE IN THE LONG TERM, AND NOT ALL THE WORK OF THE FIVE O'S HAD SUCH GRAND ENDS, HE ADDED.
TURNING TO OTHER POINTS RAISED BY MR. CHEONG-LEEN, MR. BRAY AGREED THAT MORE EFFECTIVE CO-ORDINATION WAS NEEDED AS IT WAS IMPORTANT AND WOULD BECOME MORE SO WITH EXPANSION OF THE SERVICES, WHILE ANOTHER LEVEL OF CO-ORDINATION - THE REGIONAL LEVEL --
-- COULD BE REQUIRED AS WELL.
THE CDO NOW REGULARLY CHAIRED MEETINGS OF THE FIVE O'S AND IF CDO'S WERE TO HAVE GREATER CO-ORDINATING RESPONSIBILITIES, MORE EXPERIENCED MEN THAN WE HAD BEEN ABLE ALWAYS TO GET IN RECENT YEARS WOULD BE REQUIRED.
A DECISION WAS RECENTLY TAKEN TO TRANSFER RESPONSIBILITY FOR CYO POLICY TO THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS IN ADDITION TO HIS RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CDO'S AND RSO'S AND IT WAS HOPED THIS WOULD LEAD TO BETTER CO-ORDINATION.
AT THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL MR. BRAY SAID THERE HAD BEEN A HIATUS AND HE WAS NOT SURE WHETHER THE PRESENT STEERING GROUP ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE WERE RIGHt.
HE PROPOSED TO EXAMINE THE PRESENT ORGANISATION WITH THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON YOUTH SERVICES.
HE POINTED OUT THAT MR. CHEONG-LEEN'S DEFINITION OF THE OBJECTIVE OF YOUTH SERVICES REQUIRED MANY DISCIPLINES.
+THEY CANNOT PERFORM EFFECTIVELY IN ISOLATION AND AN INTER- DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ANY SOCIAL PROBLEM IS FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES.
+WE RECOGNISE THEM, WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH THEM. BY NO MEANS HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS BEEN SOLVED. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO TACKLE THOSE THAT REMAIN, HE SAID.
16