XN000022-1980-07-07 — Page 5

MONDAY, JULY 7, 1980

GIVEN THE RIGHT TRAINING, EDUCATION AND SOMETIMES WITH THE HELP OF TECHNICAL AIDS, HE WAS ALSO CAPABLE OF PERFORMING A WIDE RANGE OF JOBS, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE AND MANAGERIAL POSITIONS.

+THE AIM OF THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE, AS I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND, IS TO PLACE THE RIGHT PERSON IN THE RIGHT JOB RATHER THAN JUST TO PLACE A NUMBER OF PERSONS IN SOME KIND OF JOB, HE NOTED.

DR HO POINTED OUT THAT BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS WERE ASSISTING THE DISABLED IN FINDING GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SERVICE WAS TO STRENGTHEN THE LINK BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ORGANISATIONS IN ASSISTING THE DISABLED FIND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

ANOTHER OBJECTIVE WAS TO IMPROVE THE PRESENT PLACEMENT SERVICES SO THAT MANY MORE DISABLED PEOPLE COULD BE HELPED TO SECURE JOBS IN THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SECTORS, HE ADDED.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR J.N. HENDERSON SAID IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS THE GOVERNMENT, IN ORDER TO CO-ORDINATE THE EFFORTS BY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, HAD ADOPTED A POLICY OF ESTABLISHING A CENTRALISED PLACEMENT SERVİCE.

+TODAY WE SEE THIS POLICY BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICE WITHIN THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT,+ HE NOTED.

MR HENDERSON SAID THAT TO ALLOW THE NEW SERVICE TO GAIN CREDIBILITY AMONG THE DISABLED AND EMPLOYERS GRADUALLY, IT WOULD AT PRESENT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ONLY THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED.

THE EXPERIENCE GAINED WOULD BE USED AS A BASIS FOR PLANNING THE EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE TO INCLUDE OTHER TYPES OF DISABILITIES LATER.

HE ADDED THAT VOLUNTARY AGENCIES HAD PROVIDED A MOST VALUABLE EMPLOYMENT SERVICE TO THOUSANDS OF DISABLED PEOPLE DURING THE PAST, AND NO DOUBT WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE.

CONSULTANTS SUBMIT DANCE REPORT ****

THE CONSULTANTS WHO CARRIED OUT A STUDY ON DANCE ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT.

THE CONSULTANTS WERE MR PETER BR INSON (DIRECTOR OF CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION) AND MISS JEAN WALLIS (ARAD, FISTD).

THEY WERE COMMISSIONED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS TO STUDY DANCE ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG. THE STUDY WAS FINANCED BY THE JOCKEY CLUB MUSIC FUND, THE BRITISH COUNCIL ASSISTED BY ARRANGING THE VISIT.

/THEY VISITED

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