THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 1979
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+ THE MONG KOK KAIFONG ASSOCIATION IS ONE OF THE LONGEST ESTABLISHED AND HAS A PRAISEWORTHY RECORD OF GIVING A LEAD TO RESIDENTS WHEN, FROM TIME TO TIME, VARIOUS CHALLENGES HAVE FACED THE COMMUNITY.
+ IN RECENT YEARS, IT HAS BEEN MOST ACTIVE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR A CLEANER HONG KONG. ITS MEMBERS ARE ALSO HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF AREA COMMITTEES AND HAVE GIVEN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE FORMATION OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES
IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS.
+THE ASSOCIATION HAS CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE, THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE DISTRICT. ON THE OFFICIAL SIDE, WE VALUE THIS KIND OF CO-OPERATIVE SPIRIT.
+LAST YEAR THE ASSOCIATION, UNDER YOUR ENERGETIC LEADERSHIP MR. CHAIRMAN, GAVE FURTHER PROOF OF ITS VITALITY AND KEEN INTEREST
IN THE WELFARE OF MONG KOK RESIDENTS BY ORGANISING THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MONG KOK WEEK: AN AMBITIOUS PROJECT WHICH SET OUT NOT ONLY TO PROVIDE ENJOYMENT FOR RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT BUT TO PROMOTE A GREATER FEELING OF COMMUNITY AND A GREATER FEELING OF IDENTITY. AND THIS I MOST WARMLY WELCOME.
+TODAY'S CEREMONY, THEREFORE, THOUGH IMPORTANT IN ITSELF, IS CLEARLY NOT TO BE SEEN AS AN ISOLATED EVENT BUT AS PART OF AN ON-GOING PROCESS OF WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY BEGUN BY THE MONG KOK KAIFONG ASSOCIATION MANY YEARS AGO. I AM CERTAIN THAT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS KIND OF WORK WILL CONTINUE TO ARISE
IN FUTURE.
+FOR THE KAIFONG ASSOCIATION THE SUCCESSFUL OPERATION OF THIS CENTRE WILL PRESENT AN EXCITING CHALLENGE, TO WHICH I HAVE NO DOUBT IT WILL RESPOND WITH ITS USUAL ENERGY AND THOROUGHNESS.
+ THE NEXT CHALLENGE, I UNDERSTAND, LIES IN THE PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP, UPON THE VACANT SITE NEXT TO THIS CENTRE, A CULTURAL RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS BUILDING WHICH WILL CONTAIN FACILITIES TO COMPLEMENT THOSE ALREADY AVAILABLE HERE. ALTHOUGH THE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW PROJECT IS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE MONG KOK DISTRICT CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ASSOCIATION, I AM AWARE THAT THE KAIFONG ASSOCIATION WILL ALSO BE CONTRIBUTING TO IT. I WISH BOTH ORGANISATIONS EVERY SUCCESS IN THE IR CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT TO PROVIDE STILL FURTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR THE USE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.
+THERE IS SOMETHING ESPECIALLY ADMIRABLE ABOUT FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THEMSELVES.
I WOULD ADD THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT CAN TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT THOSE WHO DEMONSTRATE SELF-HELP IN SUCH A WORTHWHILE MANNER.
*THE CHAN HING CENTRE WILL BE AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS WITH SIMILAR AMBITIONS. MR. CHAIRMAN, I HOPE AND EXPECT THAT THE PEOPLE OF MONG KOK WILL THOROUGHLY ENJOY THE CENTRE'S FACILITIES FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.+
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