WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16. 1977
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REPLYING TO THE POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. LI FOOK-KOW, THANKED THE UNOFFICIALS AS WELL AS OTHER PROFESSIONAL BODIES, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPER.
HE ASSURED THE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE THESE VIEWS INTO CONSIDERATION IN REACHING CONCLUSIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE COMING DECADE AND IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WHITE PAPER.
MR. LI EXPLAINED THAT AS ALL SUBMISSIONS ON THE GREEN PAPER WERE BEING EXAMINED, IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO STATE WHETHER GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THESE PROPOSALS OR TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFICULTIES ARISING FROM THE IR ACCEPTANCE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE RATE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES, LIKE OTHER SERVICES, WOULD DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCĖS.
+THE FACT THAT GOVERNMENT HAS PUBLISHED A GREEN PAPER AND HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO A WHITE PAPER SHOWS THAT GOVERNMENT TAKES REHABILITATION SERIOUSLY, + MR. LI EMPHASISED.
THE SECRETARY EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED WOULD EXPAND SUBSTANTIALLY BOTH QUANTITATIVELY AND QUALITATIVELY DURING THE NEXT TEN YEARS, HAVING BENEFITTED FROM A HIGH PRIORITY OF RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS,
MR. LI PAID TRIBUTE TO THE WORK AND CONTRIBUTION BY THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS TO THE FIELD OF REHABILITATION.
IN MANY FIELDS, HE NOTED, IT WAS THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR WHICH WAS THE PIONEER IN THE PROVISION AND DEVELOPMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED.
+SINCE CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION OF SERVICES IS EXPECTED FOR THE COMING DECADE, IT IS THE HOPE AND AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT THE EXISTING WORK OF BOTH PUBLIC AND VOLUNATRY SECTORS SHOULD BE IMPROVED SO THAT, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE DISABLED IN HONG KONG CAN BE HELPED TO ATTAIN THEIR FULLEST PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL CAPABILITY, +
REFERRING TO EARLIER CRITICISMS BY DR. HARRY FANG AND OR. HENRY HU ON THE INADEQUACY IN THE COLLECTION OF STATISTICS, AR. LI AGREED THAT IMPROVEMENT MUST BE MADE.
HE INDICATED THAT PLANNING WAS ONE OF THE NECESSARY MANAGEMENT TASKS BUT WITHOUT TIMELY INFORMATION IN THE RIGHT FORM, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAN EFFECTIVELY.
+ THE GREEN PAPER, HE WENT ON, HAS MADE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW IMPROVEMENT CAN BE MADE THROUGH THE DESIGN OF A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM WHICH WILL NOT ONLY COLLECT THE DATA
SSENTIAL FOR UPDATING THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME PLAN NUT WILL ALSO ENABLE POLICY MAKERS TO PLAN MORE INTELLIGENTLY.
TURNING