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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1986
+AS THE ELDERLY HAVE MADE THEIR SHARE OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM SPEND THEIR TWILIGHT YEARS IN DIGNITY, DECENCY AND PEACE+, HE SAID,
DR HO SAID THAT PLANNING OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY SHOULD TAKE A WHOLISTIC APPROACH IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE.
CO-ORDINATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS WAS ESSENTIAL.
HE SAID HE FELT THAT THE CO-ORDINATING MACHINERY MUST BE VESTED WITH SUFFICIENT AUTHORITY AND GIVEN EASY AND QUICK ACCESS TO THE TOP LEVEL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO ENSURE SPEEDY AND FULL CO-OPERATION.
+ IN THE INTEREST OF EFFICIENT IMPLEMENTATION, A POLICY DIRECTIVE FROM THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS THEREFORE IMPERATIVE,+ HE ADDED.
HE NOTED THAT A CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WAS SET UP IN 1981 AND DISSOLVED IN 1985 AFTER MAKING SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS IN PLANNING AND MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF VARIOUS PROGRAMMES IN SPITE OF ITS SHORT LIFE SPAN.
+ IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER CO-ORDINATION AND OF THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF AUTHORITY, I PROPOSE THAT A COMMISSIONER FOR THE ELDERLY, EQUIVALENT TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION, BE ESTABLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, HE SUGGESTED.
DR HO ALSO NOTED WITH PLEASURE THAT AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP WAS SET UP IN MAY 1995 TO EXAMINE WAYS AND MEANS TO IMPROVE THE GENERAL SAFETY AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF SENIOR SINGLETONS LIVING IN BED-SPACE APARTMENTS IN DILAPIDATED CONDITIONS.
HE SAID HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS THE WORKING GROUP HAD PROPOSED AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT HAD REACTED TO THEM.
+A DEGREE OF URGENCY SHOULD BE ACCORDED TO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THE BENEFICIARIES ARE FRAIL AND AGED PERSONS, HE SAID.
J
IN PARALLEL TO THE VARIOUS HOUSING SCHEMES FOR THE ELDERLY PEOPLE, DR HO COMMENDED THE GOVERNMENT FOR HAVING IMAGINATIVELY PLANNED TO PROVIDE SHELTERED HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY IN NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE POLICY THRUST OF THIS SCHEME WAS TO ENABLE ELDERLY PEOPLE TO REMAIN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF A NETWORK OF SERVICES IN THE VICINITY TO MEET THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS.
/HE STRESSED