XN000022-1982-09-25 — Page 4

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1922

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+THOUGH THIS WORK IS NECESSARY. WE MUST BE ABLE ALSO TO PREDICT THE FUTURE EFFECTS OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT,+ HE STRESSED.

THE NEED TO MAKE PREDICTIONS OF THIS SORT HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG OF SOME OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND NEW MODELS ARE BEING DEVELOPED TO COVER NEW PROJECTS, MR REED SAID.

+THROUGH THE USE OF THESE MODELS AND THE INFORMATION

PROVIDED BY OUR MONITORING PROGRAMMES, WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION TO SAFEGUARD HONG KONG FROM THE POLLUTION DISASTERS THAT HAVE ALL TOO OFTEN ACCOMPANIED MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, HE CONCLUDED.

NURSERY SERVICE BEING EXTENDED

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, TODAY (SATURDAY) DESCRIBED THE GOVERNMENT FEE ASSISTANCE SCHÉME INTRODUCED RECENTLY AS A NEW INITIATIVE IN THE EXTENSION OF NURSERY SERVICE IN HONG KONG+.

HE SAID THIS AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG AND KOWLOON KAIFONG WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION'S SUN FONG CHUNG NURSERY AT SUI WO COURT IN SHA TIN.

HE STRESSED THAT THE SCHEME WOULD NOT ONLY ENABLE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO RECEIVE THE DESIRED SERVICE AS IN THE PAST, BUT THE SCOPE OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE WAS ALSO BEING EXTENDED TO LOWER-MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES.

+THIS NEW SCHEME, HE SAID, +ENSURES THAT THE MOST NEEDY FAMILIES ARE STILL GIVEN ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE WHILE THE NEEDS OF OTHER FAMILIES ARE ALSO MET.+

MR ALLEYNE SAID THE NEW NURSERY WAS A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT, BEING THE FIRST ONE TO BE OPERATED IN A HOME OWNERSHIP ESTATE.

THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE CONTINUING PROGRAMME OF IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROVISION OF CHILD CARE SERVICE IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WOULD SET UP AND MANAGE SIMILAR NON-PROFIT MAKING CHILD CARE CENTRES.

+IN TURN WE WILL RENDER EVERY ASSISTANCE AND PROVIDE CAPITAL GRANTS AND REIMBURSEMENT OF RENT AND RATES,+ HE ADDED.

THE DIRECTOR SAID HE WAS MOST ENCOURAGED THAT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE ASSOCIATION WOULD OPEN A SECOND NURSERY IN SHA TIN, TO BE LOCATED AT MEI LAM ESTATE.

+ IF THIS PRAISEWORTHY EXAMPLE IS FOLLOWED BY OTHERS, SURE WE WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH OUR PLANS FOR EXPANSION OF OUR NURSERY PROGRAMME, HE SAID.

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