XN000022-1983-10-21 — Page 3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1983

AMS PRAISED FOR COMMUNITY WORK

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES.

SPEAKING AT THE AMS ANNUAL OFFICERS' MESS DINNER AT THE LEE GARDENS HOTEL, HE SAID THAT THE FACT THAT SO MANY MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE PREPARED TO DEVOTE MUCH OF THEIR SPARE TIME TO VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY SERVICE REFLECTS THE VALUE THEY PLACE ON THIS FREE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND WORK,

THE AMS, HE SAID CARRIED OUT ITS TASKS, OFTEN UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, EFFICIENTLY AND QUIETLY.

+QUIET PEOPLE MAY NOT ATTRACT AS MUCH ATTENTION AS NOISY ONES THESE DAYS, BUT IT IS THE QUIET WORKERS OF THE WORLD WHO MATTER IN THE LONG RUN, NOT THE COMMENTATORS, NECESSARY AFFLICTION THOUGH THEY MAY BE, SIR PHILIP ADDED.

EARLIER, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, TOLD THE GATHERING ABOUT THE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE AMS.

HE SAID THAT IN THE 33 YEARS SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE AMS HAD UNDERGONE MANY CHANGES AND HAD ALSO GROWN FROM A MEMBERSHIP OF A FEW HUNDRED TO THE PRESENT STRENGTH OF 6 000 MEN AND WOMEN.

+THE AMS ORGANISATION COVERS NOT ONLY URBAN AREAS BUT ALSO DISTRICTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ALSO OUTLYING ISLANDS WHERE MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE RESIDENTS LOCALLY HAVE JOINED TO SERVE THE IR OWN DISTRICTS,+ DR THONG SAID.

HE SAID THE AMS IS GEARED NOT ONLY TOWARDS PROVIDING SERVICES IN NORMAL TIMES BUT ALSO FOR EMERGENCIES.

CITING A RECENT EXAMPLE, DR THONG SAID THAT DURING THE PASSAGE OF TYPHOON ELLEN LAST MONTH, MEMBERS OF AMS, IN ASSISTING THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO MAN THE EMERGENCY CENTRES AND AMBULANCE DEPOTS, RESPONDED TO NO LESS THAN 249 CALLS.

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