TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1980-
STRONG PARTNERSHIP IN SOCIAL WELFARE AND REHABILITATION WORK
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR THOMAS LEE, HAS SAID HE IS FULLY CONVINCED THAT THERE DOES EXIST A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR IN SOCIAL WELFARE AND REHABILITATION WORK.
MR LEE SAID THIS AT THE COMMUNITY DINNER OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE YESTERDAY (MONDAY) EVENING IN WHICH HE WAS THE GUEST OF HONOUR.
HE DESCRIBED AS 'UNFORTUNATE THE ACCUSATIONS MADE EARLIER IN THE DAY BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, MR HO SAI-CHU, AND SAID: + IF WE HAD NOT WORKED TOGETHER, WE WOULD NOT HAVE ATTAINED THE PRESENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICES.
HE CONTINUED: ON MANY OCCASIONS, I HAVE HEARD VOLUNTARY AGENCY MEMBERS SAY THAT WE WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER HERE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE.+
+NO ONE DENIES THAT THERE IS STRONG CO-OPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR IN BOTH PLANNING AND THE PROVISION OF SERVICES.
+THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF CONSULTATION PERHAPS THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE, BUT CONSULTATION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN TOTAL AGREEMENT AND THAT MUST BE ACCEPTED, + HE SAID.
MR LEE POINTED OUT THAT FROM TIME TO TIME, THEREFORE, THERE WERE BOUND TO BE ARGUMENTS AND DISAGREEMENTS OVER SOME ISSUES WHICH TENDED TO MAR THIS FINE SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OR HE HIMSELF HAD TO TAKE DECISIONS WHICH WERE UNPOPULAR TO SOME VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
+I THINK OCCASIONAL CONFLICTS ARE INEVITABLE IN ANY DYNAMIC PROCESS OF CHANGE BUT ARE NOT NECESSARILY UNHEALTHY AS LONG AS WE DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF OUR COMMON GOAL,+ HE SAID.
MORE PATROLS JOIN FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN
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COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN WILL BE GREATLY INCREASED WHEN A FURTHER 26 VOLUNTARY FIRE WATCH PATROLS ARE OFFICIALLY FORMED ON THURSDAY (OCTOBER 2) TO SERVE BOTH SQUATTER AND VILLAGE AREAS.
THESE NEW PATROLS WILL BE INAUGURATED BY MR TONY CONWAY, CHIEF FIRE OFFICER OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AT A CEREMONY TO BE HELD AT THE TSIM SHA TSUI FIRE STATION.
THEY ARE THE THIRD BATCH OF FIRE WATCH TEAMS AND WILL BRING THE TOTAL TO 77 THE NUMBER OF SUCH TEAMS FORMED SINCE THE SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.
THE SCHEME