XN000022-1984-08-03 — Page 7

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 1984 ·

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MP TO VISIT HONG KONG

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MR IVAN LAWRENCE, QC, CONSERVATIVE MP, WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM AUGUST 5 TO 13 AT THE INVITATION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

WHILE HERE, MR LAWRENCE WILL CALL ON THE HONG KONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION AND ATTEND A RECEPTION HOSTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN.

HE WILL BE BRIEFED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND HAVE A MEETING WITH UMELCO. HE WILL ALSO VISIT SOUTHERN DISTRICT AND HAVE LUNCH WITH THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

HIS OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE VISITS TO THE CHI MA WAN VIETNAMESE REFUGEES CAMP, A HOUSING ESTATE AND SQUATTER AREAS IN WONG TAI SIN, AND A GARMENT FACTORY IN KWUN TONG.

MR LAWRENCE WILL GIVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON AUGUST 13 BEFORE LEAVING HONG KONG.

RESIDENTS URGED TO HELP RECOVERED MENTAL PATIENTS

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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR STEPHEN LAW, TODAY (FRIDAY) APPEALED TO EVERY RESIDENT FOR CO-OPERATION IN ASSISTING RECOVERED MENTAL PATIENTS AND IN PROVIDING THEM WITH A RECEPTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

HE MADE THE APPEAL DURING A VISIT TO THE KWAI SHING SHELTERED WORKSHOP RUN BY THE NEW LIFE PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION.

+AS LACK OF SOCIAL LIFE, LONELINESS AND ISOLATION ARE LATENT FACTORS LEADING TO MENTAL ILLNESS, WE MUST TRY TO INTEGRATE THE RECOVERED MENTAL PATIENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY, MR LAW SAID.

HE SAID THAT MENTAL PATIENTS WHO HAD RECOVERED AFTER A PERIOD OF HOSPITALISATION MUST BE DISCHARGED.

MANY OF THEM COULD GO HOME DIRECT AND LEAD A NORMAL LIFE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AGAIN. HOWEVER, THERE WERE OTHERS WHO COULD NOT RETURN HOME IMMEDIATELY OR WHO HAD NO SUITABLE HOME TO RETURN TO.

IT MIGHT BE THAT THEIR LIVING ENVIRONMENT WAS VERY ADVERSE OR THERE WERE NO FAMILY MEMBERS TO LOOK AFTER THEM OR THE FAMILY SITUATION WHICH HAD ORIGINALLY PRECIPITATED THE ILLNESS WERE UNCHANGED.

+FOR THE WELFARE OF THE RECOVERED MENTAL PATIENTS AND FOR THE GENERAL INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, IT IS NECESSARY TO SET UP HALF-WAY HOUSES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS SPECIFIC GROUP OF DISCHARGED MENTAL PATIENTS, HE EXPLAINED.

/AR EMPHASISED