XN000022-1978-12-04 — Page 5

MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1978

THE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME PLAN WAS COMPLETED IN 1977 AND A WHITE PAPER STATING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES FOR "THE PROVISION AND EXPANSION OF REHABILITATION SERVICES OVER THE NEXT DECADE WAS PUBLISHED.

TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE VISUALLY DISABLED THERE WAS NOW A WELL-EQUIPPED REHABILITATION CENTRE, A VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE, A FAST GROWING BRAILLE LIBRARY AND BRAILLE PRODUCTION CENTRE, A MODERN WORKSHOP FOR THE BLIND, A HOSTEL AND A HOME FOR THE AGED BLIND, ALL OPERATED BY THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND WHICH WAS ALSO HOSTING THE CONFERENCE.

IN ALL THERE WERE FOUR ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG DEALING IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WITH REHABILITATION PROBLEMS OF THE VISUALLY DISABLED. THESE SERVICES WERE AUGMENTED AND SUPPORTED BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, IN PARTICULAR EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE.

MR. HO SAID 93 PER CENT OF BLIND CHILDREN HERE WERE CATERED FOR IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS. WHEN THE CANOSSA SCHOOL FOR THE VISUALLY DISABLED HAD BEEN REBUILT IN 1980 PROVISION WOULD MEET 100 PER CENT OF THE DEMAND.

ALSO BY 1980 HONG KONG PLANNED TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PLACES IN SPECIAL CLASSES INTEGRATED WITHIN ORDINARY SCHOOLS FOR ALL KNOWN PARTIALLY SIGHTED CHILDREN.

+THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED NOT ONLY WITH QUANTITY BUT WITH THE QUALITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED FOR OUR BLIND PEOPLE,+ MR. HO SAID.

FOR EXAMPLE HONG KONG PLANNED TO PROVIDE MORE COMPREHENSIVE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY CARE IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR AND IN THE MEDICAL FIELD, PLANS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ON MUCH MORE GENEROUS ALLOCATION FOR CASES IN EYE CLINICS IN PARTICULAR TO DEAL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SIGHT PROBLEMS.

+WE HAVE TRIED TO GET OURSELVES ON THE RIGHT LINES, AND WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOU,+ MR. HO SAID.

+ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ALSO REALISE THAT WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN AND THE VIEWS AND EXPERIENCE OF OUR DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES REPRESENTING 20 COUNTRIES WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE TO US. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TO JOIN FORCES TO PUSH CLOSER TOWARDS OUR MUTUAL GOAL: TOTAL INTEGRATION.+

HE HAD GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE +BECAUSE WHEN DEDICATED PERSONS SUCH AS OURSELVES GATHER TOGETHER AND EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND NEW IDEAS, CONSTRUCTIVE RESULTS ARE INEVITABLE.+

THE CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD AT THE LEE GARDENS HOTEL AND ENDS ON SATURDAY.

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