XN000022-1983-11-21 — Page 5

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1983

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SERVICES FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE TO BE REVIEWED

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A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW SERVICES FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN DISTRICT HAS BEEN FORMED UNDER THE DISTRICT BOARD'S COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, MR LEUNG SIK-WAH SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

MR LEUNG SAID THERE WAS A GREAT NEED TO REVIEW THE EXISTING SERVICES, AS MORE THAN ONE-FIFTH OF THE DISTRICT'S POPULATION ARE OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE.

+THE EFFORTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE ELDERY TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST SHOULD BE REOGNISED AND LIKEWISE COMMUNITY CONCERN FOR THEM SHOULD BE PROMOTED, HE SAID.

TODAY, MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY-FORMED WORKING GROUP VISITED A NUMBER OF WELFARE CENTRES IN THE DISTRICT TO SEE FACILITIES THERE.

THE CENTRES ARE THE WESTERN DISTRICT BLIND WELFARE AND THE WORK ACTIVITY CENTRES, THE HONG KONG FAMILY WELFARE SOCIETY HONG KONG WELFARE CENTRE, S.K.H. ST. LUKE'S SETTLEMENT SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY, THE HONG KONG YMCA KENNEDY TOWN SOCIAL SERVICE CENTRE, THE CARITAS SOCIAL CENTRE AND THE CHINESE YMCA TOWN CENTRE.

ASIDE FROM TODAY'S VISIT, MEMBERS WILL ATTEND A BRIEFING ON NOVEMBER 28 WHEN REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICES WILL TALK ON THE EXISTING SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG.

MR LEUNG SAID MEMBERS OF THE WORK ING PARTY WOULD ALSO EXAMINE THE SERVICES AVAILABLE IN THE DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY ANY SHORTFALLS,

+THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH CONTACTS WITH LOCAL ELDERLY CENTRES, AREA COMMITTEES, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, OWNERS' CORPORATIONS, AND KAIFONG ASSOCIATIONS, HE SAID.

+A REPORT ON THE WORKING GROUP'S STUDY WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE DISTRICT BOARD'S COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE NEXT APRIL.+

MORE TRAINING NEEDED FOR BANKING STAFF

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FINDINGS IN THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED BANKING MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT REFLECT THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGING INCREASE IN TRAINING ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

+DESPITE THE IMPROVEMENT ON STAFF DEVELOPMENT, MUCH STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE IF THE INDUSTRY IS TO FACE THE FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE,+ MR DEREK WHARTON, CHAIRMAN OF THE BANKING TRAINING BOARD, SAID.