XN000022-1978-01-19 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1978

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MR. JOHN SLIMMING TO SUCCEED MR. RICHARD LAI

AS DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES

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THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MR. RICHARD LAI MING, WILL LEAVE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SERVICE IN JUNE 1978 ON LEAVE PRIOR TO RETIREMENT. HE WILL BE SUCCEEDED BY MR. J.D. SLIMMING, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, WHOSE PROMOTION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS.

MR. SLIMMING, AGED 50, IS AT PRESENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES. HE FIRST JOINED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AS A SENIOR INFORMATION OFFICER IN AUGUST 1968. HE WAS PROMOTED TO CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER IN MARCH 1973 AND TO HIS PRESENT RANK IN JULY 1974.

MR. LAI IS AGED 57. HE HAS BEEN 16 YEARS IN THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVING SERVED SUCCESSIVELY AS A PRINCIPAL INFORMATION OFFICER FROM 1962, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER FROM 1972, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES IN 1973 AND AS DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES IN 1976. MR. LAI IS MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN.

OVER 100 DISABLED FOUND JOBS DURING LAST QUARTER

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THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS FOUND JOBS FOR OVER 100 DISABLED PEOPLE DURING THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

AMONG THOSE PLACED TO WORK WERE 13 BLIND, 22 DEAF, 50 PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, 10 EX-MENTAL PATIENTS AND NINE MENTAL RETARDATES.

MOST OF THEM ARE ENGAGED IN THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL FIELDS AS TYPISTS, CLERKS, LIFT OPERATORS AND MESSENGERS, WHILE OTHERS ARE EMPLOYED AS ASSEMBLERS, MACHINE SEWING WORKERS, THREAD-CUTTERS AND MACHINE OPERATORS.

THEY ARE EITHER PAID ON A MONTHLY RATE AVERAGED AT $650 OR AT A DAILY RATE RANGING FROM $18 TO $26, WITH ONE GETTING A DAILY WAGE OF $80.