XN000022-1979-11-15 — Page 16

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1979

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→EVEN SO, I UNDERSTAND THAT A FAIR NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL EMPLOYEES IN JAPAN, INCLUDING BANK STAFF, STILL WORK SIX DAYS A WEEK.+

REFERRING TO THE REMARKS THAT A SATURDAY SYNDROME IS ANOTHER REASON FOR STOPPING SATURDAY WORK, MR. HO BELIEVED THAT IN CERTAIN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES WITH A FIVE-DAY WORK ING WEEK, THERE IS A FRIDAY SYNDROME WHERE TRAFFIC AND PEOPLE POUR OUT OF THE CITIES AND TOWNS FROM EARLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO TAKE FULLER ADVANTAGE OF THE WEEKEND.

+FOR THESE REASONS, I FEEL THAT IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE AT THE PRESENT TIME, FOR GOVERNMENT TO CONTEMPLATE THE

INTRODUCTION OF A FIVE-DAY WORKING WEEK IN HONG KONG EITHER GENERALLY OR FOR OFFICE WORKERS ONLY, OR FOR A SMALL SECTION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.+

HOWEVER, HE SAID INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYERS SHOULD NOT FEEL INHIBITED FROM INTRODUCING A FIVE-DAY WEEK FOR THEIR WORKERS IF THEY THINK THIS WOULD BE PRACTICAL AND BENEFICIAL.

ON SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED, MR. HO SAID A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE SPECIAL TRANSPORT NEEDS OF THE DISABLED, CURRENTLY BEING UNDERTAKEN, WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE SHORTLY.

MR. HO ALSO SAID THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS WAS CONSIDER ING WHETHER THE CODE OF PRACTICE ON ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED TO BUILDINGS SHOULD BE GIVEN STATUTORY EFFECT, AT LEAST IN PART.

HE NOTED THE SHORTAGE OF TRAINED MANPOWER FOR REHABILITATION WORK WAS A MATTER FOR CONCERN, PARTICULAR IN RESPECT OF SPEECH THERAPISTS, EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS, PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS.

HE SAID FULL TIME THREE-YEAR COURSE WERE STARTED AT THE POLYTECHNIC IN SEPTEMBER 1978 ON PHYSIOTHERAPY AND EDUCATIONAL THERAPY.

ON EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS, HE SAID IT WAS HOPED A MASTERS PROGRAMME WILL SOON BE ESTABLISHED THERE.

+1 SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE TRAINING OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS,+ MR. HO SAID.

HE SAID THE POLYTECHNIC IS NOW PROVIDING FOR ABOUT 40 PLACES EACH YEAR BUT, THE SMALL NUMBER OF PRACTITIONERS IN THIS PROFESSION CURRENTLY AT WORK IN HONG KONG CANNOT POSSIBLY PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PRACTICAL CLINICAL TRAINING WITH ADEQUATE SUPERVISION FOR THIS NUMBER OF FINAL YEAR STUDENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

+ACCORDINGLY, WITH THE FULL CO-OPERATION AND SUPPORT OF THE POLYTECHNIC, THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROACHED THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION TO ASSIST WITH OVERSEAS PLACEMENTS FOR UP TO THREE MONTHS FOR EACH MEMBER OF THE ENTIRE FINAL YEAR CLASS, MR. HO SAID.

/HE ADDED