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MONDAY, APRIL 26, 1976.

FIFTY-ONE DISABLED PLACED TO WORK IN MARCH

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THE NUMBER OF DISABLED PEOPLE PLACED TO WORK LAST MONTH BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S JOB PLACEMENT UNIT REACHED 51,

AN INCREASE OF 37 OVER THE CORRESPONDING MONTH LAST YEAR.

AMONG THE DISABLED EMPLOYED, 20 WERE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, 11 BLIND, EIGHT DEAF, WHILE THE OTHERS WERE EITHER MENTALLY- RETARDED OR MENTALLY-ILL.

TWELVE OF THEM WERE ABSORBED BY THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY, 11 IN ELECTRONICS AND EIGHT IN GARMENT INDUSTRY.

OF THE TOTAL PLACED TO WORK FORTY-TWO WERE EMPLOYED ON DAILY RATE RANGING FROM $10 TO $18.50 WHILE FIVE WERE EMPLOYED ON PIECE-RATE BASIS. THE SALARY OF THE OTHERS VARIED BETWEEN $180 TO $450 PER MONTH.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID; +EMPLOYERS ARE URGED TO ACCEPT MORE DISABLED WORKERS. WE CAN ASSURE THEM THAT THESE WORKERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND PREPARED BEFORE BEING INTRODUCED TO A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER.+

NOTE TO EDITORS:

+MEET THE MEDIA+ SESSION

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A +MEET THE MEDIA+ SESSION WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY (APRIL 29), STARTING AT 4 P.M.

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES (HEALTH) DR. K.L, THONG, WILL ATTEND THE MEETING, WHICH WILL BE HELD IN THE G.I.S. THEATRE ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO SEND YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO COVER THE MEETING, TELEVISION CREWS ARE ADVISED TO ARRIVE EARLY SO THAT THEY WILL HAVE AMPLE TIME TO SET UP THEIR EQUIPMENT.

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