XN000022-1975-10-08 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, OCA 8, 1975

RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE MAKES HEADWAY

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PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE SCHEME INTRODUCED LAST OCTOBER DESPITE THE RECESSION, AND LINES ALONG WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PROCEED HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TESTED, THE GOVERNOR SAID TODAY.

HE NOTED THAT OVER 100,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HAD PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE RECREATION AND SPORTS OFFICERS UP TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER 1975.

IN ADDITION, OVER 3,000 YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HAD BEEN TRAINED AS REFEREES, COACHES, GUIDES AND LEADERS FORMING A CORPS OF VOLUNTEER RECREATION LEADERS,

SIR MURRAY POINTED OUT THAT EXTENSIVE PROGRAMMES, RANGING FROM SPORTS COMPETITIONS COACHING AND KEEP-FIT CLASSES TO COUNTRYSIDE EXCURSIONS AND DANCE CONTESTS, WERE PLANNED AND CARRIED OUT AS AN EXPERIMENT IN SIX DISTRICTS BY RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICERS FROM THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THEIR TEENS OR EARLY TWENTIES BUT THE PROGRAMMES OFFERED SOMETHING TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HANDICAPPED.

SIR MURRAY WAS CONVINCED THAT ORGANISED PARTICIPATION AND SUPERVISION THROUGH CALLING ON THE ENTHUSIASM AND PUBLIC SPIRIT OF YOUNG VOLUNTEERS WAS THE RIGHT APPROACH.

+THE PRIME DUTY OF THE SPORTS OFFICERS MUST BE TO MOBILISE, INSTRUCT AND HELP THE PUBLIC TO ORGANISE THE SUPERVISION OF RECREATION,+ HE SAID.

IT WAS PLANNED, HE SAID, TO DEVELOP THE RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE SCHEME IN THREE PHASES.

PHASE I WAS IMPLEMENTED IN OCTOBER 1974.

SIR MURRAY SAID IT HAD BEEN HOPED TO INTRODUCE PHASE 11 IN 1975/76 WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF RECREATION AND SPORT OFFICERS IN SEVEN MORE DISTRICTS AND THEN MOVE ON TO PHASE HI IN 1976/77 TO COVER THE REMAINING DISTRICTS IN BOTH URBAN AND RURAL AREAS. BUT DUE TO COMPETITION FOR FUNDS FROM SO MANY ESSENTIAL ITEMS FUNDS HAD ONLY RUN TO A MODIFIED PHASE 11 PROGRAMME PERMITTING THE COVERAGE OF ONLY TWO MORE DISTRICTS.

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HE STRESSED THAT

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