WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1979
8
SIR JACK WAS BRIEFED ON THE FIRE FIGHTING OPERATION BY THE DEPUTY CHIEF FIRE OFFICER (KOWLOON), MR. MICK KINGDOM =
AND HE WAS PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THEIR PROMPT ACTION HAD PREVENTED LOSS OF LIFE,
EARLIER, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR. ALAN SCOTT, VISITED THE FIRE SCENE TO SEE FOR HIMSELF THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES FOR HOMELESS VICTIMS.
+IT IS A TERRIBLE THING FOR FAMILIES TO LOSE THEIR HOMES IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, SPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR SO LONG, BUT THE VICTIMS HAVE PROVED TO BE BOTH CHEERFUL AND PATIENT, AND I AM PLEASED THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S PROCEDURES ARE WORKING SO SMOOTHLY, HE SAID.
MR. SCOTT SAID THAT THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAD DONE WELL TO CONTAIN THE FIRE, WHICH COULD HAVE SPREAD MUCH FARTHER AMONG THE TIGHTLY-PACKED SQUATTER HUTS AND OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE AREA.
46 OLD PEOPLE'S INSTITUTIONS PLANNED FOR NEXT THREE YEARS
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) 46 OLD PEOPLE'S INSTITUTIONS WERE PLANNED FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS PROVIDING AN EXTRA 5 300 PLACES BY THE END OF 1982-83.
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE CITY LIONS CLUB OF HONG KONG, MR. LEE SAID THAT FROM NOW TILL MARCH NEXT YEAR ALONE, SEVEN INSTITUTIONS WITH 800 PLACES WERE SCHEDULED TO COME INTO OPERATION.
HE SAID THESE NEW HOMES FOR OLD PEOPLE WOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE BOOST TO THE EXISTING 34 OLD PEOPLE'S INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAD A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 3 720.
THE 46 INSTITUTIONS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, HE SAID, WOULD BE MOSTLY SUBSIDISED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THEY INCLUDED CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, AND HOSTELS FOR THE AGED.
MR. LEE SAID THIS WAS PART OF THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME UNDER WHICH SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WOULD BE IMPROVED ON A WIDE FRONT, SUCH AS IN THE FIELDS OF INSTITUTIONAL CARE, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HOSTEL ACCOMMODATION.
IN THE LATEST WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE, HE SAID, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE TOTAL ADDITIONAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING NEW OR IMPROVED SERVICES FOR OLD PEOPLE WOULD AMOUNT TO $111 MILLION BY 1986-87.
+FOR THE SAME PERIOD, THE TOTAL ADDITIONAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS ESTIMATED AT $295 MILLION, HE ADDED.
ON COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR. LEE SAID PLANS WERE IN THE PIPELINE TO EXPAND SUCH SERVICES AS HOME HELP, COUNSELLING AND VISITING, SPECIAL TRANSPORT, DAY CARE CENTRES, SOCIAL CENTRES AND MULTI-SERVICES CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY.
/+AN EXTRA.....