XN000022-1982-03-12 — Page 9

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1982

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IN THE PURSUIT OF +EDUCATION AND TRAINING+ AS OPPOSED TO THE UC'S ROLE OF PRESENTING PERFORMANCES, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ESTABLISHED THE PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION WHOSE TASK IS TO OFFER SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE (MAINLY FINANCIAL) TO OTHER, NON-GOVERNMENT GROUPS.

CURRENTLY RECEIVING ASSISTANCE FROM THIS DIVISION ARE THE PHILHARMONIC AND THE ARTS FESTIVAL.

+WE HAVE RECENTLY AGREED TO ASSIST SUCH GROUPS AS THE BALLET ACADEMY AND THE CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC AND THE CHUNG YING THEATRE, EACH CONCERNED IN ITS OWN FIELD WITH THE TRAINING OF YOUNG TALENT, AND ALSO THE 'EDUCATION OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

+A DEVELOPMENT OF THAT INTEREST -- A VERY AMBITIOUS AND LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENT —— IS THE GOVERNMENT'S AGREEMENT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB ON THE POSSIBLE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, THE ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT FOR WHICH WAS UNVEILED ONLY LAST WEEK.

+FINAL DECISIONS HAVE YET TO BE TAKEN, BUT ALL BEING WELL WE COULD HAVE IN HONG KONG BY THE LATE 80'S A CENTRE FOR TRAINING IN THE PERFORMING ARTS WHICH WILL ESTABLISH HONG KONG AS A NATURAL WORLD FOCAL POINT OF CULTURAL CROSS-FERTILISATION A LINK BETWEEN THE CULTURES OF EAST AND WEST WITH GRADUATES FROM OUR ACADEMY NOT ONLY FILLING POSITIONS IN OUR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING GROUPS, BUT ALSO APPEARING IN CONCERT HALLS AND THEATRES AROUND THE WORLD, MR WIGGHAM ADDED,

THE COMMISSIONER SAID THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, WHICH HAS HAD ITS FIRST MEETING RECENTLY, LIKE ITS COUNTERPART THE COUNCIL FOR RECREATION AND SPORT, TO ADVISE AND DIRECT THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT.

NEW NAMES MORE APPROPRIATE

SAYS COMMISSIONER OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES *****

THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS FOR POSTS WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICE FOLLOWING THE CHANGE OF NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE COMMISSIONER OF

CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, MR THOMAS GARNER SAID AT THE PRESENTATION OF CLASPS TO THE COLONIAL PRISON SERVICE MEDAL HELD TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE STAFF TRAINING INSTITUTE IN STANLEY.

ADDRESSING THE OFFICERS ON PARADE AT THE CEREMONY, MR GARNER POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S NEW NAME IS MORE RELEVANT IN RESPECT OF ITS NATURE OF WORK. IT DESCRIBES MORE FULLY THE ROLE THE DEPARTMENT PLAYS NOT ONLY IN CARE AND CUSTODY BUT ALSO IN PROGRAMMES AIMED AT CORRECTING OFFENDER BEHAVIOUR, HE SAID.

/ON YOUNG