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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1981
MR BARDEN THANKED THE DISTRICT OFFICE FOR ITS CO-OPERATION AND WAS GRATEFUL OF THE GUIDANCE GIVEN BY MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE YAN OI TONG, THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND ALL OTHER ORGANISATIONS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT THAT WORK TOWARDS THE GOOD OF THE FUTURE POPULATION OF TUEN MUN.
CENTRE FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED IN KWAI CHUNG
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THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR THE PO LEUNG KUK CENTRE FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED ADULTS NEAR KWAI CHUNG WAS LAID TODAY (TUESDAY) BY SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES.
THE CENTRE WILL BE BUILT IN TWO PHASES ON A 7 500 SQUARE METRE SITE AT O PUI SHAN AND PROVIDE ACCOMMODATION FOR 200 ADULTS WHEN COMPLETED IN JUNE, 1983.
IT WILL HAVE TWO DORMITORY WINGS, EACH OF 100 BEDS, A KITCHEN, DINING HALL, ACTIVITY ROOMS, RECREATIONAL HALL, OFFICES AND STAFF QUARTERS. THE WINGS WILL BE LINKED BY COVERED WALKWAY AND BE SEPARATED FROM THE TRAINING AREAS. HYDRAULIC LIFTS WILL BE INSTALLED FOR THE DISABLED.
AT TODAY'S CEREMONY MR AKERS-JONES RECEIVED A CHEQUE FOR $500 000 FROM MR CHENG YIK-CHEE, UNCLE OF PO LEUNG KUK DIRECTOR, MR ARTHUR CHENG. MR CHENG HAS AGREED TO DONATE A TOTAL OF $2 MILLION TOWARDS THE COST OF BUILDING THE CENTRE WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE AROUND $15 MILLION.
MR AKERS-JONES SAID THE CENTRE WOULD NEARLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PLACES IN HONG KONG FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY RETARDED ADULTS AND WOULD MAKE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO EASING THE PRESENT SHORTAGE. FURTHER CENTRES WERE PLANNED BY OTHER AGENCIES FOR TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG.
HE SAID THE PO LEUNG KUK WAS NO STRANGER TO THE FIELD OF REHABILITATION AND SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, IT NOW OPERATED HOSTELS, SHELTERED WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING CENTRES IN ADDITION TO RESIDENTIAL HOMES.
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