XN000022-1978-12-04 — Page 4

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1978

EMPLOY THE BLIND CALL BY SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES

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AN APPEAL TO EMPLOYERS TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO EMPLOY BLIND PEOPLE WAS MADE BY THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR. E.P. HO TODAY (MONDAY).

MR. HO WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE FIFTH ASIAN CONFERENCE ON WORK FOR THE BLIND.

HE SAID + FEEL IT WILL NOT BE OUT OF PLACE FOR ME TO USE THIS FORUM TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO EMPLOYERS EVERYWHERE, NOT ONLY IN HONG KONG, IN ASKING THEM TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO GIVE SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT TO VISUALLY DISABLED PERSONS WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THE IR SKILLS.+

+THEY DO JUST AS WELL, AND SOMETIMES EVEN BETTER, THAN THE FULLY SIGHTED. THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THOUGHT TO THIS MATTER RECOGNISE THAT VISUALLY DISABLED PEOPLE USUALLY HAVE MORE ABILITIES THAN DISABILITIES, MR. HO SAID, ADDING: +1 STRONGLY URGE ALL EMPLOYERS

IN HONG KONG AND THROUGHOUT ASIA TO IMPROVE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE VISUALLY DISABLED. GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY THEY WILL PROVE THE IR REAL WORTH TO THE COMMUNITY.+

MR. HO SAID THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE +TOWARDS TOTAL INTEGRATION -- A PRACTICAL APPROACH+ — SUMMAR ISED +VERY SUCCINCTLY+ WHAT REHABILITATION WAS ABOUT, NAMELY, TO ENABLE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE TO FUNCTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF WHICH THEY WERE CAPABLE SO THAT THEY MAY, LIKE THE REST OF SOCIETY, GO TO SCHOOLS, WORK AT JOBS, MAINTAIN HOUSEHOLDS AND PARTICIPATE WITH NEIGHBOURS IN SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL PURSUITS.

+ THE THEME ALSO REFLECTS VERY CLEARLY THE HOPES OF THE DISABLED THEMSELVES, WHO LOOK TO US NOT FOR PITY OR TOLERANCE, BUT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN THE NORMAL LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY, AND TO LIVE THE IR LIVES IN DIGNITY,+ MR. HO SAID.

HE CONTINUED: +1 HOPE YOU WILL COME TO AGREE THAT HONG KONG HAS BEEN A VERY SUITABLE VENUE FOR THIS CONFERENCE. FROM THE REHABILITATION AND INTEGRATION POINT OF VIEW, WE HAVE, I THINK, MUCH OF INTEREST TO OFFER.+

THE FIRST HOME FOR THE BLIND WAS BUILT IN 1863- SHELTERED WORKSHOPS, TRAINING CENTRES AND SOCIAL CLUBS FOR THE BLIND WERE ESTABLISHED DURING THE 1950S- THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1956.

IN THE EARLY 1970S, MR. HO WENT ON, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN THE VIEW THAT HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT IN REHABILITATION HAD REACHED THE STAGE WHERE PRIORITIES AND OBJECTIVES SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED AND, IN 1974, A WORKING GROUP OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WAS SET UP TO PLAN A CO-ORDINATED AND INTEGRATED APPROACH IN REHABILITATION.

/THE

J