XN000022-1984-05-02 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1984

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+ ACCORDINGLY DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BECOME MEMBERS OR ADVISERS OF AREA COMMITTEES, AND WE SHALL BE STRENGTHENING AND FORMULATING THIS LINK EVEN FURTHER IN THE FUTURE, AND INCLUDING OUR GROWING NUMBER OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES ALSO,+ HE SAID.

MR WIGGHAM ADDED THAT THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAD PROVED THE IR VALUE MANY TIMES OVER IN TWO SHORT YEARS.

AND THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION WERE A RECOGNITION OF THIS, PARTICULARLY IN TWO ASPECTS.

FIRSTLY, HE SAID, THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MANAGEMENT ROLE FOR THE BOARDS WAS A RESPONSE TO THE INTEREST, DEDICATION AND EXPERTISE SHOWN BY THE BOARDS.

+ IT WILL ENABLE DISTRICT BOARDS TO INFLUENCE, IF NOT DIRECT, THE ACTIVITIES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO AN EVEN GREATER EXTENT THAN AT PRESENT.

+ IT WILL PROVIDE A FURTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A SAY IN MAKING THE BEST USE OF LOCAL RESOURCES, AND DEVELOPING PROGRAMMES BEST SUITED TO DISTRICT NEEDS.+

SECONDLY, HE SAID, THE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE RATIO OF ELECTED TO APPOINTED MEMBERS TO 2:1 WOULD FURTHER EMPAHSISE THE REPRESENTATIVE NATURE OF THE BOARDS AND FIRMLY ESTABLISH THEM AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR EVOLVING SYSTEM OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION.

+DISTRICT BOARDS ARE NOW VERY MUCH AN ESTABLISHED PART OF OUR SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION, MR WIGGHAM SAID.

TACKLING PROBLEMS FACED BY ELDERLY PEOPLE ****

THE GENERATION GAP. FINANCE AND HOUSING PROBLEMS WHICH CONFRONT MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE ISSUES WHICH THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO TACKLE IN THE PROVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

J

SPEAKING AT A PARTY FOR A THOUSAND AGED+ ORGANISED BY THE SHUN TAK FRATERNAL ASSOCIATION AT THE CITY HALL THIS AFTERNOON, MR CHAMBERS SAID SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE 1980'S FOCUSED ON THREE MAIN AREAS COMMUNITY CARE, RESIDENTIAL CARE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES, HE SAID, WERE PROVIDED TO ENABLE THE ELDERLY TO REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. THESE INCLUDE HOME HELP, DAY CARE CENTRES, MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES, VISITS AND ESCORTS.

/RESIDENTIAL CARE

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