XN000022-1979-07-18 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1979

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GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE STEPPED UP

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS STEPPED UP ITS EFFORTS IN RECENT YEARS TO IMPROVE BOTH THE BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, THE HON. JOHN CHAMBERS SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. HO KAM-FAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. CHAMBERS SAID IN PARTICULAR, THERE HAS BEEN A RAPID EXPANSION OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AS FROM SEPTENBE? LAST YEAR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS WILL HAVE THREE YEARS OF JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR.+

+THIS WILL CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN SCHOOL AND EMPLOYMENT WHICH IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF MUCH DELINQUENCY HITHERTO, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, MR. CHAMBERS SAID, A WIDE VARIETY OF RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES HAD BEEN DEVELOPED AND ALL THESE DEVELOPMENT HELP BY PROVIDING HEALTHY AND CONSTRUCTIVE OUTLETS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

FURTHERMORE, HE ADDED, THE POLICE FORCE MOUNTS A. CONSIDERABLE EFFORT AT ALL LEVELS TO COUNTER THE THREAT POSED BY GANGS AND QUASI- TRIAD ORGANISATIONS, AND THE JUNIOR POLICE CALL MOVEMENT, WHICH HAS ABOUT 230,000 MEMBERS, EXERTS A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON YOUNG PEOPLE AND HELPS TO IMPORVE THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE POLICE.

ON PRIVATE PARTIES, MR. CHAMBERS SAID THEY WERE OF COURSE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY FORM OF LICENSING, BUT IF THE POLICE HAD INFORMATION THAT OFFENCES HAD BEEN COMMITTED AT ANY OF THESE PARTIES, ACTION WAS TAKEN IN THE FORM OF RAIDS AND PROSECUTIONS WHERE APPROPRIATE.

+I WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO URGE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBJECT TO ANY FORM OF INTIMIDATION OR OTHER PRESSURE TO JOIN SUCH GROUPS, TO SEEK THE AID OF THE POLICE TO ENABLE THEM TO TAKE ACTION, HE SAID.

FLUORIDATION OF WATER REDUCES DENTAL CARIES *****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN REGULARLY MONITORING THE EFFECTS OF FLUORIDATION TO PREVENT DENTAL CARIES AMONG CHILDREN, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. THE HON. S.F. LAM TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ANDREW SO, DR. LAM SAID THAT SUCH ROUTINE MONITORING HAD BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF FLUORIDATION OF WATER IN HONG KONG IN 1961.

+ALSO, A STUDY DONE IN 1968 SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A SENERAL REDUCTION OF 50 PER CENT IN THE INCIDENCE OF DENTAL CARIES AMONG THE ATTENDANTS IN THE CLINICS, HE ADDED.

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