XN000022-1984-06-27 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1984

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BASED ON THIS, HE SAID, THE PRESENT REQUIREMENT FOR THESE FACILITIES, TOGETHER WITH THOSE ESTIMATED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WAS 35 COMMUNITY CENTRES, 24 ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRES, AND 40 COMMUNITY HALLS.

ALREADY, 24 COMMUNITY CENTRES, 14 ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRES AND 22 COMMUNITY HALLS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG.

+THE PLANNING SHORTFALL BY 1989 WOULD THEREFORE BE TWO COMMUNITY CENTRES, TWO ESTATE COMMUNITY CENTRES AND A COMMUNITY HALL, HE SAID.

+ONE OF THESE COMMUNITY CENTRES IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 1990-91, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE OTHER FACILITIES COULD PROCEED IF SITES AND FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.+

NEVERTHELESS, HE ADDED THAT INTERIM MEASURES COULD BE TAKEN

THESE BEFORE THE FULL COMPLETION OF THESE STANDARD FACILITIES. INCLUDE:-

* MAKING FULL USE OF ASSEMBLY HALLS AND SCHOOL HALLS SO THAT THEY CAN SERVE AS ADDITIONAL VENUES FOR MEETINGS AND LARGER SCALE EVENTS;

*

*

ALTERNATIVE ACCOMODATION FOR WELFARE SERVICES, SUCH AS NURSERIES AND DAY-CARE CENTRES IN PLACES WHERE THESE SERVICES ARE NOT YET PROVIDED IN PURPOSE-BUILT CENTRES;

ASSISTANCE TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO UPGRADE AND CONVERT THEIR BUILDINGS TO PROVIDE MORE SERVICES AND FACILITIES; AND

* EXPANSION OF THE SERVICE CATCHMENT AREA OF EXISTING

COMMUNITY CENTRE FACILITIES.

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ABORTION FIGURES: THONG

*****

THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TERMINATION PREGNANCY CASES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON ABORTION FROM THE HON PETER C. WONG AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, DR THONG SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY CASES FOR THE YEAR 1981, 1982 AND 1983 WERE 10 622, 12 219 AND 13 382 RESPECTIVELY.

FOR THESE THREE YEARS, THE CORRESPONDING RATES OF INCREASE OVER THE PRECEDING YEAR WERE 13 PER CENT, 15 PER CENT AND 10 PER CENT.

/DR THONG