XN000022-1977-02-16 — Page 11

10.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1977

TO THE HON. MISS KO SIU-WAH, THERE SHOULD BE MORE EMPHASIS IN THE GREEN PAPER ON THE TRAINING OF STAFF INVOLVED IN REHABILITATION WORK. THESE INCLUDE PARA-MEDICAL STAFF, SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELLORS, INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHERS.

SHE POINTED OUT THE PRESENT SHORTAGE OF PARA-MEDICAL STAFF WOULD BECOME EVEN MORE OBVIOUS WHEN THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OCCURRED. THE NEED FOR THE LOCAL TRAINING OF OCCUPATIONAL AND SPEECH THERAPISTS, SHE CONTINUED, HAD LONG BEEN RECOGNISED, AND SUCH TRAINING MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE WITHOUT DELAY.

TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, MISS KO SAID SOME MODERATELY RETARDED CHILDREN WERE GRANTED DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES WHILE SOME WERE NOT, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD SIMILAR INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (1.Q.). SHE THEREFORE PROPOSED THAT A MORE SATISFACTORY SET OF CRITERIA BE DRAWN UP.

ON THE CODE OF AID FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS AND CLASSES STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION, SHE FELT THAT THE CODE AND THE UP-TO-DATE AND IMPROVED MANNING SCALE SHOULD BE TREATED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY AS +THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE QUALITY AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE SCHOOLS AND CLASSES+.

MISS KO SAID THERE WAS A LACK OF DIRECTION AND OVERALL PLANNING FOR THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE GREEN PAPER. IT WAS DESIRABLE, SHE WENT ON, THAT AN OVERALL POLICY FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BE DEVISED, AND THAT THE DIRECTION SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED AND ABLE-BODIED+ CLUB ACTIVITIES, INTEGRATING THE DISABLED AND

ABLE-BODIED.

SHE ALSO THOUGHT THAT A SEPARATE VOTE SHOULD BE CREATED FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE GREEN PAPER DEPENDED A GREAT DEAL ON THE METHOD OF FUNDING.

THIS POINT WAS FURTHER AMPLIFIED BY DR. THE HON. HENRY HU WHO SAW ADEQUATE FINANCING AND COORDINATION OF FOLLOW-UP ACTION AS THE TWO KEY FACTORS UPON WHICH THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREEN PAPER HINGED.

WHILE ENDORSING THE PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE, DR. HU STRESSED THE NEED FOR A NEW UNIT TO BE SET UP IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH, TO BE HEADED BY A COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION, SIMILAR IN RANK TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS.

HE THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE MAIN DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONER AND THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE THE INSTITUTION OF A COMPREHENSIVE LONG-TERM PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME DIRECTED TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE HANDICAPPED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

+WHAT I HAVE IN MIND IS NOT A ONE-SHOT PUBLICITY BLITZ, BUT A SUSTAINED EFFORT THROUGH THE MEDIA TO THE MAN-IN-THE-STREET, THE CURRICULAR OF SCHOOLS, THE EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS, AND OTHERS TO CHANGE ATTITUDES OF FEAR, HOSTILITY AND INDIFFERENCE INTO ACCEPTANCE AND HELPFUL ASSISTANCE+,

/DR. HC