XN000022-1977-02-16 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1977

DR. HU INDICATED THAT WHILE IMPRESSIVE STATISTICS HAD BEEN GATHERED AND PRESENTED IN THE GREEN PAPER, THE EXISTING DATA ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND KINDS OF DISABLED WAS INADEQUATE.

THUS, ANOTHER MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RDCC AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR REHABILITATION WAS THE SETTING UP OF MACHINERY TO GATHER SUCH INFORMATION FROM ALL SOURCES.

+PROBABLY EXPERT TECHNICAL ADVICE WOULD BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO DEVISE AN ADEQUATE SYSTEM WHICH WOULD YIELD NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AND, AT THE SAME TIME, CAREFULLY GUARD THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED AND THEIR FAMILIES, DR. HU OBSERVED.

HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS OF THE DISABLED AND TO ENSURE THAT SUCH SERVICES AS EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING WERE AVAILABLE TO THEM, IN LINE WITH SIMILAR LEGISLATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, JAPAN AND AUSTRALIA.

TAKING UP DR.HU'S POINT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE HON. WONG LAM HOPED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO PROMOTE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF AND CONCERN FOR THE DISABLED. EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE, HE SAID, TO MAKE THE PUBLIC MORE APPRECIATIVE OF THE SPECIAL STRENGTHS AND GOOD POINTS OF THE DISABLED AND THE KINDS OF DIFFICULTIES THEY FACED.

MR. WONG FELT THAT THE GREEN PAPER WAS RATHER SILENT ABOUT TRANSPORT SERVICES, WHICH, IN HIS OPINION, WAS A MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM FOR THE BLIND, THE LAME AND THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

HE HOPED THAT THE SUGGESTIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT WORKING PARTY ON THE TRANSPORT NEEDS OF THE DISABLED AND THE ACCESS COMMITTEE FORMED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE WHITE PAPER FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REHABILITATION SERVICES AT A SUITABLE TIME.

MEANWHILE, AS A START, MR. WONG SUGGESTED THAT MORE PRACTICAL MEASURES SUCH AS PROVIDING MORE BUS STOPS IN THE VICINITY OF REHABILITATION CENTRES OR MORE PEDESTRIAN SUBWAYS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE DISABLED SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

REV, THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN FOUND HIMSELF IN COMPLETE ACCORD WITH THE COMMENT BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE THAT +THERE IS A SERIOUS LACK OF PLANNING FOR ADULT SERVICES IN THE GREEN PAPER. THERE IS NO PROJECTION AT ALL FOR VOCATIONAL AND PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AND SHELTERED WORKSHOPS.+

FATHER MCGOVERN SAID WHILE HE ENTIRELY AGREED THAT THE STRESS SHOULD BE ON THE REHABILITATION OF THE YOUNG AS THEY COULD BE MORE EASILY TRAINED AND COULD HOPEFULLY +LIVE A LONGER LIFE OF GREATER SATISFACTION TO THEMSELVES AND OF GREATER USE TO THE COMMUNITY+, HE FELT, HOWEVER, THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE COST OF NEGLECT OF TRAINING AND OTHER SERVICES FOR ADULTS.

/HE WONDERED