XN000022-1983-02-19 — Page 3

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1983

MORE PROJECTS FOR THE ELDERLY PLANNED IN SHA TIN

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MORE THAN 10 PROJECTS FOR THE ELDERLY ARE PLANNED FOR SHA TIN WITHIN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP'S LO MAN HUEN HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY IN MEI LAM ESTATE, SHA TIN.

MR ALLEYNE SAID THAT THIS NEW HOSTEL WAS REMARKABLE IN THAT THE ACTUAL FITTING OUT WORK WAS CARRIED OUT IN ONLY TWO MONTHS, WHICH MUST CONSTITUTE SOME SORT OF RECORD EVEN BY HONG KONG STANDARDS.

HE THANKED THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WHICH AGREED TO DO THE FITTING OUT WORK ON THE BASIS OF PLANS DRAWN UP BY TUNG WAH'S ARCHITECTS, USING ITS MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR.

THIS WAS A TRIAL SCHEME, THE DIRECTOR SAID, AND ITS PURPOSE WAS TO TRY AND CUT DOWN THE TIME TAKEN TO FIT OUT WELFARE PREMISES SO AS TO HAVE SERVICES IN OPERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER TENANTS MOVE INTO THE ESTATE.

IT NORMALLY TAKES ABOUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS TO COMPLETE ALL THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES FOR APPLYING FOR LOTTERIES FUND GRANTS, TENDERS FOR FITTING OUT WORKS AND CARRYING OUT THE WORK TO COMPLETION.

THIS HOSTEL WAS DONE IN ONLY NINE MONTHS, MR ALLEYNE NOTED.

• THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY SOME LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM THIS EXAMPLE AND WE ARE NOW MAKING AN EVALUATION OF THIS TRIAL SCHEME TO COVER SUCH ASPECTS AS STANDARDS FOR THE PHYSICAL LAYOUT, BUILDING SERVICES, FUNDING AND MAINTENANCE, HE SAID.

+WE WILL THEN TRY AND DRAW UP SOME PROPOSALS FOR NEW PROCEDURES TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE ADOPTED FOR NEW PROJECTS,+ HE ADDED.

THE LO MAN HUEN HOSTEL IS THE SECOND INSTITUTION FOR THE ELDERLY RUN BY THE TUNG WAH GROUP IN SHA TIN AND THE FIFTH HOSTEL OPERATED BY THE GROUP.

THE PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH A GRANT FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND AND A SUBSTANTIAL DONATION FROM MR LO KAM-WING AND IT BEARS THE NAME OF HIS LATE GRANDFATHER, MR LO MAN-HUEN.

MR ALLEYNE NOTED THAT TUNG WAH WOULD TAKE UP AN ADDITIONAL HOSTEL IN SUN CHUI ESTATE AND A SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY IN MEI LAM ESTATE PHASE 11.

HE THANKED THE GROUP FOR THEIR CO-OPERATION IN UNDERTAKING THESE PROJECTS FOR THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WISHED THEM EVERY SUCCESS.

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