XN000022-1978-01-12 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1978

MUTUAL CARE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

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SIX GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE PROMOTING COMMUNITY WORK TO BUILD FOR HONG KONG A SOCIETY WHERE THERE IS MUTUAL CARE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE KOWLOON ZONTA CLUB, MR. LEE SAID THAT IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO HELP THE PEOPLE, WHO ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO LIVE IN DENSELY POPULATED HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS OR HOUSING ESTATES, TO DEVELOP HEALTHY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THEMSELVES AND TO LIVE IN HARMONY.

+ IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS A CARING COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUALS CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND PARTICULARLY CARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO CARE FOR THEMSELVES.+

MR. LEE NOTED THAT OFF ICERS OF THE SIX GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONTRIBUTING DIRECTLY TO COMMUNITY WORK AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL ARE THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICERS OF THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, THE DISTRICT OFFICERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, THE OFFICERS OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICERS, THE RECREATION AND SPORTS OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND THE COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

UNDER THE BROAD OBJECTIVE OF PROMOTING +MUTUAL CARE AND SOCIAL COHESION, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT COULD BE SEEN IN TWO ASPECTS.

+THE FIRST ONE IS TO PROVIDE PHYSICAL FACILITIES FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND SERVICE SUCH AS IN COMMUNITY CENTRES, ESTATE WELFARE BUILDINGS, COMMUNITY HALLS AND YOUTH CENTRES.

+THE SECOND ASPECT IS TO ACHIEVE THE MORE INTANGIBLE GOALS OF DEVELOPING COMMUNITY CAPACITY AND INTEGRATION THROUGH ESTABLISHING FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDES,

+THIS WILL SET IN MOTION A SPONTANEOUS PROCESS OF WORKING TOGETHER WITH PEOPLE TO FORM GROUPS AND COMMITTEES ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES WHICH AIM AT IMPROVING SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, WHERE A NEED OF IMPROVEMENT IN CERTAIN AREAS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, MR. LEE SAID.

AT PRESENT, THE DIRECTOR ADDED, THERE WERE SEVEN COMMUNITY CENTRES DIRECTLY RUN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPREAD OVER HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. EIGHT ESTATE WELFARE BUILDINGS AND SIX COMMUNITY HALLS HAD ALSO BEEN PUT UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES PROVIDING COMMUNITY WORK SERVICE FOR THE RESIDENTS.

/+TO COMPLETET