XN000022-1977-02-16 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1977

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HE WONDERED IF SOME SYSTEM COULD BE FOUND BY WHICH EMPLOYERS, ESPECIALLY IN INDUSTRY, COULD BE PERSUADED TO GIVE GREATER COOPERATION IN RETRAINING AND FINDING ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT FOR THOSE WHO HAD BEEN HANDICAPPED IN WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS.

AS THE ACCIDENTS TOOK PLACE IN THE WORKPLACE, IT SEEMED FAIR THAT THE EMPLOYER MIGHT BE ASKED TO DO MORE THAN THE LEGAL CASH PAYMENT, HE MAINTAINED.

IT MIGHT EVEN BE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE THIS CONCEPT SOMEWHERE IN THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, HE ADDED.

THE ACCEPTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF A SHORTFALL OF 9.388 SCHOOL PLACES BY 1985-86 FOR CHILDREN WHO WERE MENTALLY RETARDED, SLOW LEARNING OR MALADJUSTED WAS CRITICISED BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN AS AN UNACCEPTABLE +GLARING DEFICIENCY IN THE GREEN PAPER.

HE URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO ELIMINATE THE SHORTFALL WITHIN A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AND NOT AT +AN INDETERMINATE DATE+ AS PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER.

REFERRING TO THE LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF REHABILITATION

ON SOCIETY, MR. CHEONG-LEEN STRESSED THAT FOR EVERY HANDICAPPED CHILD WHO WAS DENIED AN EDUCATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INTEGRATED TO THE COMMUNITY, THERE WOULD BE THE CUMULATIVE COSTS OF A LIFETIME OF CARE, LOST INCOME AND SOCIAL DISORIENTATION.

+BUT FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON REHABILITATION, THE RETURNS CAN BE MULTI-FOLD, AS HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE IT IS ESTIMATED THAT FOR ONE DOLLAR SPENT ON REHABILITATION, RETURNS ARE BETWEEN $17-$35 TO THE ECONOMY.+

MR. CHEONG-LEEN PROPOSED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD PLAY A ROLE IN PROVIDING THE HOUSING AND REHOUSING NEEDS OF THE DISABLED, AS WELL AS THE PREMISES FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES.

HE DEPLORED THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AS YET NO LONG-TERM POLICY OR STRATEGY IN PROVIDING HOUSING OR REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED IN THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME,

+THEREFORE, APART FROM TACKLING THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM OF FAMILIES WITH PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY SEVERELY DISABLED MEMBERS LIVING WITH THEM IN OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS IN PUELIC HOUSING ESTATES, GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO PLAN FOR DIFFERENT REHABILITATION SERVICES IN ESTATES WHICH ARE BEING BUILT, ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGE, OR ARE TO BE REBUILT, HE SAID.

CONFINING HIMSELF TO THE LCT OF THE MENTALLY RETARDED.

THE HON. T.S. LO URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SINGLE OUT AND DEAL WITH THE +NEGLECTED PLIGHT+ OF THE 33,0JD-ODD MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.

HE EMPHASISED