THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1992
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.DISABLED A SOURCE OF TALENTED MANPOWER
THE
TODAY
COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MRS KATHERINE FOK, (THURSDAY) APPEALED TO EMPLOYERS IN ALL TRADES AND INDUSTRIES TO TAKE ON DISABLED PEOPLE AS THEY PROVIDE AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF WORKING TALENTS IN DIFFERENT JOBS,
SPEAKING AT THE 12TH SOUVENIR-PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR EMPLOYERS' OF DISABLED PERSONS AND OUTSTANDING DISABLED EMPLOYEES, MRS FOK SAID MANY INDUSTRIES HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING ACUTE LABOUR SHORTAGES.
"IT IS BOTH TIMELY AND DESIRABLE TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THIS RELATIVELY UNTAPPED SOURCE OF MANPOWER,
++ MRS FOK POINTED OUT.
"IN ADDITION, THIS WILL ENABLE THEM ΤΟ INTEGRATE IN THE COMMUNITY," SHE ADDED.
ORGANISED BY THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, THE ANNUAL EVENT IS AIMED AT PAYING TRIBUTE то EMPLOYERS WHO HAVE EITHER EMPLOYED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF DISABLED PERSONS OR WHO HAVE MADE SPECIAL EFFORTS TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH WORKERS IN THE PAST YEAR.
DURING THE CEREMONY, DISABLED EMPLOYEES WITH OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AT WORK WERE ALSO COMMENDED.
NOTING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYERS WHO RECEIVED SOUVENIRS BELONG TO THE SERVICE INDUSTRY, MRS FOK SAID THIS WAS IN LINE WITH THE RESTRUCTURING OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AS THE TREND WAS SHIFTING TOWARDS THE TERTIARY INDUSTRIES.
"I AM CONFIDENT THAT TOGETHER WE WILL WORK FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE WHICH IS THE MOTTO ON THE SOUVENIR PLAQUES, MRS FOK SAID.
THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION PROVIDES A FREE COUNSELLING AND PLACEMENT SERVICE FOR DISABLED PERSONS INTERESTED IN OPEN EMPLOYMENT, INCLUDING THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, MENTALLY RETARDED AND EX-MENTALLY ILL.
"SINCE ITS INAUGURATION IN 1980, THE DIVISION HAS BEEN WORKING STEADILY IN PROMOTING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE WORKING ABILITIES OF THE DISABLED AND PLACING DISABLED PERSONS IN SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT IN THE OPEN MARKET,' SHE SAID.
++
"THROUGH A SERIES OF PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS, INCLUDING EXHIBITIONS, PROMOTION VISITS, ISSUE OF NEWSLETTERS AND PAMPHLETS, EMPLOYERS IN VARIOUS SECTORS HAVE BEEN GREATLY IMPRESSED BY THE SKILLS, MOTIVATION AND RELIABILITY OF THE DISABLED EMPLOYEES, SHE ADDED.
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"THE DIVISION MADE A TOTAL OF 1,152 PLACEMENTS BETWEEN JULY 1991 AND JUNE THIS YEAR, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 2.2 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, SHE SAID, NOTING THAT THERE WERE 511 EMPLOYERS USING THE SERVICE.
/DURING THE