FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1981
DO MORE FÖR THE DISABLED
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MACLEHOSE,
THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLE HOSE, TODAY APPEALED TO LOCAL CHILD CARE CENTRES, STUDENT TEACHERS AND SPONSORS TO DO MORE FOR THE DISABLED IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS (IYDP).
SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY TO LAUNCH THE EVENT AT THE CITY HALL THIS AFTERNOON, SIR MURRAY SAID THE QUANTITY OF SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED WAS INEVITABLY STILL LACKING, BUT IT WOULD BECOME MORE ADEQUATE AS THE PHASES OF THE 1977 WHITE PAPER ON REHABILITATION WERE PROGRESSLY IMPLEMENTED.
*WE REALISE WE ARE ONLY AT THE BEGINNING OF A LONG AND DIFFICULT ROAD, NEVERTHELESS PROGRESS MADE AND PROVIDED FOR IS ALREADY SOMETHING OF WHICH WE CAN BE PROUD, SIR MURRAY SAID.
*BUT WE DO RUN UP AGAINST HUMAN FACTORS WHICH I BELIEVE IT IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN IN THE YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS TO OVERCOME.
+FOR INSTANCE APPEAL TO CHILD CARE CENTRES TO BE MORE WILLING TO ACCEPT THE SMALL NUMBER OF DISABLED CHILDREN OFFERED BY SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT I APPEAL TO STUDENT TEACHERS TO APPLY IN GREATER NUMBERS FOR TRAINING AS SPECIAL TEACHERS AND I APPEAL FOR MORE SPONSORS EITHER FOR SPECIAL CLASSES FOR SLOW LEARNERS IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS OR FOR NEW SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY BELIEVED OUR PLANS FOR THE EXPANSION OF BUILDINGS AND SERVICES WERE WELL FOUNDED ON THE POOLED EXPERIENCE OF PROFESSIONALS AND ADMINISTRATORS, OUR WORKERS WERE EXPERT AND DEVOTED, AND THE WORK BEING DONE WAS OF HIGH QUALITY.
BUT HE ADDED THAT IN THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS PRIVATE DEVELOPERS MUST ALSO CONSIDER WHETHER IN THE PRESSURES OF CONSTRUCTION, ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED WAS NOT UNNECESSARILY OR THOUGHTLESSLY BUILT OUT OF STREETS OR INSTITUTIONS OR HOUSING BLOCKS.
THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT THE OBJECT OF THE PHASED PROGRAMME IN THE WHITE PAPER ON REHABILITATION WAS MAXIMUM INTEGRATION OF THE DISABLED IN NORMAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THIS IS NOT AN OBJECT THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY BUILDING AND MONEY -- THERE IS A VERY LARGE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ELEMENT AS WELL.
THE EFFORT MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE BY GOVERNMENT, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, THE COMMUNITY AND THE DISABLED THEMSELVES, HE STRESSED.
+THE FIRST PROBLEM IS TO MAKE ALL CONCERNED REALISE THAT MOST HANDICAPS CAN BE OVERCOME.
DONE.
+THE SECOND IS TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO ENABLE THIS TO BE
/+THE THIRI