XN000022-1975-08-20 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1975

CHAI WAN COMMUNITY CENTRE OPENED

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY OFFICIALLY OPENED THE CHAI WAN COMMUNITY CENTRE MARY WONG MEMORIAL BUILDING, NAMED AFTER THE LATE CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE.

THE CENTRE IS THE FIFTEENTH IN HONG KONG AND WAS BUILT WITH DONATIONS RAISED BY THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE.

IN HIS SPEECH, THE GOVERNOR EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH CENTRES TO WHICH PEOPLE COULD TURN TO ESCAPE THE PRESSURES OF THE CROWDED CITY AND TO RELAX AND MEET FRIENDS TO DEVELOP A NEIGHBOURLY SPIRIT.

SIR MURRAY SAID IT WAS SAD THAT THE RECESSION AND THE REDUCED YIELD OF REVENUE HAD SLOWED DOWN THE ENVISAGED BUILDING PROGRAMME FOR COMMUNITY CENTRES BUT, HE STRESSED, THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, AND SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL BE THERE.

THE GOVERNOR COMPLIMENTED THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE ON ITS FINE ACHIEVEMENT AND HE WAS SURE THAT THE CENTRE WOULD SERVE THE NEEDS OF CHAI WAN RESIDENTS AND ENRICH THEIR LIVES..

EARLIER, MR. HO SAI-CHU, CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, PRESENTED THE KEY OF THE BUILDING TO MR. THOMAS LEE, DIRECTOR OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WHICH WILL ADMINISTER THE CENTRE.

IN ACCEPTING THE KEY, MR. LEE SAID THE CEREMONY DEMONSTRATED PUBLICLY THE STRENGTH OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR. IT WAS, HE SAID, +A PARTNERSHIP DESIGNED TO SECURE THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF WELFARE SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+

MR. LEE SAID HONG KONG HAD EVERY REASON TO BE PROUD OF THIS LINK BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTEERS. IT SERVED TO HARNESS THE ENERGIES OF BOTH TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL AND AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO PLAY A PART IN THE SERVICE OF THE COMMUNITY, HE ADDED.

IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO BE IN FAVOUR OF HELPING OTHERS OR TO LOOK TO THE GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM. THERE IS A VITAL NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUAL TO ACT POSITIVELY, TO BE INVOLVED PERSONALLY AND TO BE PREPARED TO PLACE HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN BE OF THE MOST VALUE,+ MR. LEE SAID.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

COPIES OF THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION TOGETHER WITH MR. LEE'S SPEECH, FROM THE GIS PRESS ROOM BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, 6TH FLOOR.

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