FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1979
5.
+SOME OLD PEOPLE MAY FEEL THEY ARE BEING NEGLECTED AND DISINTEGRATED FROM THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
IT IS ONLY THROUGH SUSTAINED COMMUNITY CARE AND LOVE THAT ELDERLY PEOPLE CAN BE HELPED TO RETAIN SELF-RESPECT AND A SENSE OF BELONGING, HE STRESSED.
MR. LEE SAID THAT OVER THE YEARS, BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY WELFARE SECTOR HAD DEVELOPEĎ VARIOUS SERVICES TO ENABLE OLD PEOPLE TO REMAIN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THE CHEUNG SHA WAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTRE FOR THE AGED WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SUCH EFFORTS, HE ADDED.
RUN BY THE CARITAS-HONG KONG, THE CENTRE OFFERS A VARIETY OF SERVICES TO MEET THE VARYING NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY. ITS SERVICES INCLUDE HOME HELP, MEALS, LAUNDRY, PERSONAL GUIDANCE AND RECREATION.
THE CENTRE ALSO PROVIDES DAY CARE FOR OLD PEOPLE WHOSE FAMILIES ARE UNABLE TO LOOK AFTER THEM DURING THE DAYTIME.
TWO KOWLOON MAXICAB ROUTES TO BE SUSPENDED
******
THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT MAXICAB ROUTE NO. 9 OPERATING BETWEEN WATERLOO HILL (MAN FUK ROAD) AND TSIM SHA TSUI AND ROUTE NO. 10 BETWEEN KADOOR IE AVENUE (BRAGA CIRCUIT) AND TSIM SHA TSUI WILL BE SUSPENDED FROM THIS SUNDAY (OCTOBER 14) DUE TO POOR PATRONAGE.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID ROUTE NO. 9 WAS INTRODUCED IN APRIL, BUT OBSERVATIONS CARRIED OUT BY TRANSPORT INSPECTORS IN JUNE REVEALED THAT THE DAILY PASSENGER TRAFFIC FOR THE ROUTE WAS POOR WITH AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT FIVE PASSENGERS PER TRIP.
IN ORDER TO IMPROVE PATRONAGE, THE ROUTE WAS REVISED ON SEPTEMBER 15 AND BUSINESS BEGAN TO PICK UP, RESULTING IN AN IMPROVEMENT IN TRAFFIC OF 13 PER CENT AND À MODEST PROFIT OF 14 CENTS A MILE, HE SAID.
ANOTHER SURVEY WAS CARRIED OUT IN LATE SEPTEMBER AND THIS SHOWED THAT PATRONAGE HAD INCREASED FURTHER.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE SERVICE COULD PROVE VIABLE IN THE LONG RUN. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE LOSSES SUFFERED SINCE APRIL, ONE OF THE PARTNERS OPERATING ROUTE NO. 9 HAS DECIDED TO WITHDRAW HIS SEVEN VEHICLES AND REVERT THEM TO ORDINARY PUBLIC LIGHT BUS OPERATION.
HE ADDED THAT ARRANGEMENTS WERE BEING MADE FOR WATERLOO HILL TO CONTINUE TO BE SERVED BY THE OPERATOR OF ROUTES NO.1 AND 2 SO THAT THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC WOULD NOT BE INCONVENIENCED.
/AS FOR