SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1979
SWD'S NEW SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT OFFICE OPENS
******
SHAM SHUI PO RESIDENTS WISHING TO SEEK VARIOUS SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WILL NOW HAVE A FOCAL POINT TO TURN TO WITH THE OPENING TODAY (SATURDAY) OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S NEW SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT OFFICE.
THE NEW OFFICE WILL ACCOMMODATE THE DEPARTMENT'S SHAM SHUI PO SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNIT, FAMILY SERVICES CENTRE, AND COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY LOCATED SEPARATELY IN THE DISTRICT.
THE GROUPING TOGETHER OF SERVICES IN ONE PLACE IS IN LINE WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONALISATION SCHEME TO BETTER CO-ORDINATE AND MORE EFFECTIVELY DELIVER WELFARE SERVICES ON A DISTRICT LEVEL.
MR. JUSTICE YANG THIS MORNING OFFICIALLY OPENED THE NEW OFFICE, WHICH IS AT 202-204 CHEUNG SHA WAN ROAD, SUI SING BUILDING, SIXTH AND SEVENTH FLOORS, KOWLOON.
IN HIS SPEECH, MR. JUSTICE YANG DESCRIBED THE NEW OFFICE, BEING A FOCAL POINT OF SERVICES, AS A STRIDE FORWARD+ IN THE PROVISION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES BY THE DEPARTMENT.
HE SAID THAT THE SHAM SHUI PO POPULATION OF ABOUT 450 000 WERE NOW SERVED BY 14 DIFFERENT SERVICE UNITS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND 67 SERVICE UNITS OPERATED BY THE VOLUNTARY WELFARE SECTOR.
+THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN PROVIDING WELFARE SERVICES HAS CONSIDERABLY BENEFITTED LOCAL RESIDENTS WHO NEED THE SERVICES, HE SAID,
REFERRING TO PROBATION, MR. JUSTICE YANG POINTED OUT IT HAS A DEFINITE PLACE IN THE SOCIETY AS REFLECTED FROM THE ANNUAL SUCCESS RATE OF 75 TO 80 PER CENT.
HE SAID FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS HAS SIGNIFICANT BEARING ON INDIVIDUALS AND IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR PENAL CONSIDERATIONS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF AN OFFENDER'S FAMILY BACKGROUND, THE CAUSE OF MISBEHAVIOUR AND HIS FUTURE REINTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITY.
HE DESCRIBED THE PRESENT PROBATION SYSTEM AS ONE WHICH HAS REGARD TO BOTH COMPASSION, SENSE AND LAW TOWARDS REFORMING OFFENDERS AND MOULDING THEIR NEW LIFE.
THE DEPARTMENT'S REGIONAL OFFICER FOR WEST KOWLOON, MR. LU YU-HUA, SAID IN HIS SPEECH THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONSTANTLY REVIEW SERVICES IN THE DISTRICTS AGAINST CHANGING NEEDS.
+WITH THE REGIONALISATION SCHEME, I AM SURE WE WILL BE ABLE TO MORE EFFECTIVELY SERVE THOSE WHO ARE ÎN NEED AND TO BETTER LIAISE WITH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES OPERATING IN THE DISTRICTS,+ HE SAID.
EIGHT KAIFONG LEADERS FROM THE DISTRICT PERFORMED A RIBBON- CUTTING CEREMONY TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE NEW OFFICE.
12