XN000022-1980-07-13 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JULY 13, 1980

NEED FOR FAIRNESS IN APPROACH TO SOCIAL WORK

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR JACK CATER TOLD A MEETING OF SOCIAL WORKERS TODAY THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO APPRECIATE THE CONSTRAINTS UNDER WHICH ALL GOVERNMENTS HAD TO WORK.

+THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION HAS BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM FOR CHANGE THAT WOULD TRANSFORM SOCIETY. SUCH ENTHUSIASM IS NECESSARY AND PRAISEWORTHY.

+BUT IT MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE WIDER PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AS A WHOLE AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT RESOURCES ARE FINITE AND THAT THERE MUST BE PRIORITIES IN IMPLEMENTATION, HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 6TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS AT THE MARYKNOLL CONVENT SCHOOL, SIR JACK SAID HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF PRIORITY DECISIONS, AT TIMES, IT IS A HEART-BREAKING BUSINESS+,

+LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHARES WITH YOU THE GOAL OF A BETTER SOCIETY WHERE IN ALL CAN SHARE THE FRUITS OF PROSPERITY IF THERE IS ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL, IT LIES AS I HAVE SUGGESTED IN THE PACE AT WHICH ONE SHOULD PROCEED AND THE NEED FOR FAIRNESS BETWEEN ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY, + HE SAID.

SIR JACK DOUBTED WHETHER CONFRONTATION WITH AUTHORITY WAS NORMALLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BRING A PARTICULAR SOCIAL

ISSUE TO NOTICE.

+ IS IT THE ONLY, IS IT THE BEST WAY? IN A FREE SOCIETY LIKE HONG KONG, SUCH ACTIONS MUST BE ALLOWED TO TAKE THE IR NORMAL COURSE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE LAW.

+ IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS METHOD MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WIDE USE SURELY WILL BLUNT ITS EDGE AND WOULD,

IMAGINE, PROVE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.

+BUT. I ACCEPT THAT ALL BUREAUCRACIES RUN THE RISK OF BECOMING TOO INWARD-LOOKING AND REQUIRE CRITICS TO KEEP THEM ON THEIR TOES,

+HOWEVER, CRITICISMS, IF THEY ARE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, MUST BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND WELL-BASED IN FACT, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN HONG KONG THERE WERE PROPER AND EFFECTIVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIELD, THROUGH WHICH SUCH CRITICISMS MAY BE EXPRESSED.

A RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION CAN DO MUCH TO ACT AS A CATALYST FOR GREATER OR RENEWED AWARENESS IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMUNITY'S SOCIAL NEEDS, HE ADDED.

SIR JACK HAD RAISED THESE POINTS TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION AT THE SYMPOSIUM.

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