XN000022-1978-11-01 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, NOVELDER 1, 1978

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SHE HOPED THAT MORE CAREERS ADVISORY CENTRES CAN SOON BE ESTABLISHED TO ATTRACT THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO WORK FOR THE YOUNG AND THE HANDICAPPED.

SHE ALSO ASKED THAT THE CENTRAL REGISTRY FOR THE HANDICAPPED BE PUT IN OPERATION SOONER AND THAT THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE WORK FASTER. IN JUNE THIS YEAR, SHE SAID, 1,504 SEVERELY MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN WERE KNOWN TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. BESIDES, OVER A THOUSAND MORE MENTALLY RETARDED CITIZENS WERE IN NEED OF TRAINING.

QUOTING THE DISTRICT OF KWUN TONG, MISS BENNETT DREW ATTENTION TO EXISTING INADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR THE HAND ICAPPED AND SICK IN HONG KONG.

THE ONLY HOSPITAL IN THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN OPEN FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS AND IS NOW INSUFFICIENT DUE TO RAPID INCREASE IN POPULATION. THIS POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN FIVE YEARS FROM THE PRESENT 640,000 TO SOME 840,000.

+ THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICER AGREES THAT A SECOND HOSPITAL IS NEEDED, BUT DOES NOT KNOW WHERE IT WILL BE BUILT OR BY WHOM, + SHE SAID. AT LEAST FIVE YEARS ARE NEEDED FROM THE FIRST DRAFT PLANS TO THE OPENING OF A HOSPITAL. THE SITUATION MAY BE WORSE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUNK BAY NEARBY WHICH WILL HAVE A FUTURE POPULATION OF A QUARTER OF A MILLION, SHE ADDED.

FOSTERED

MISS BENNETT FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THIS NEED FOR MORE MEDICAL FACILITIES IN KWUN TONG HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF MORE LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY, SUCH AS COULD BE BY ESTABLISHING TOWN HALLS IN THE URBAN AREAS, IN ADDITION TO THE SETTING UP OF SCHOOLS NETS AND REGIONAL ISATION OF MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES.

+AS OUR POPULATION GROWS AND MATURES, I THINK THE TIME IS COMING TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPATION AND RESPONSIBILITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL,+ SHE ADDED.

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