XN000022-1978-09-09 — Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 1978

GOVERNOR OPENS SOCIAL SERVICES EXHIBITION

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY THAT SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND OR EVEN ACCELERATE AS NEW PROGRAMMES ARE IMPLEMENTED.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE MOBILE SOCIAL SERVICES EXHIBITION ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE IN THE CITY HALL, SIR MURRAY SAID DETAILS OF THE NEW PROGRAMMES WILL BE SET OUT IN A COMPREHENSIVE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY NOW BEING DRAFTED.

HE SAID THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS INCREASED BY 160 PER CENT FROM $38 MILLION TO $110 MILLION A YEAR AND OTHER ANNUAL EXPENDITURE (CAPITAL AND RECURRENT) IN THIS FIELD BY 94 PER CENT FROM $224 MILLION TO $435 MILLION.

FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S. SPEECH AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE MOBILE SOCIAL SERVICES EXHIBITION IN THE CITY HALL:

+WE HAVE GONE A LONG WAY IN IMPROVING OUR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO MAINLY AS A RESULT OF THE CLOSE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

+THE GOVERNMENT HAS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT SATISFACTORY SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. IT DOES THIS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS IT PLANS FOR AND CO-ORDINATES SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AS A WHOLE- IT PROVIDES THE GREATER PART OF THE FUNDS IT PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL DIRECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.

+VOLUNTARY AGENCIES PLAY AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT ROLE. THE IR WORKERS GIVE VALUABLE SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF FAMILY WELFARE, CHILD CARE, YOUTH WORK, SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND REHABILITATION OF THE DISABLED AND THE SOCIALLY HANDICAPPED.

+IN PARTICULAR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR APTITUDE FOR EXPERIMENTING WITH NEW PROJECTS AND FOR MEETING RAPIDLY CHANGING NEEDS. THEY HAVE ALSO ASSISTED THE GOVERNMENT IN PLANNING FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS AND IN CARRYING OUT NEW POLICIES. THE OUTCOME OF THIS MUTUAL CO-OPERATION IS EVIDENT IN THE RECENT FORMULATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY PAPERS AND PROGRAMME PLANS WHICH ENDEAVOUR TO CHART THE COURSE OF SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE NEXT DECADE IN THE MAJOR FIELDS OF REHABILITATION, SOCIAL SECURITY, SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, AND PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

/+IN THE LAST