XN000022-1984-09-21 — Page 3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1984

HONG KONG DEPENDS ON COMMUNITY STRENGTH - AKERS-JONES

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HONG KONG'S ABILITY TO OVERCOME ITS PROBLEMS DEPENDED UPON THE STRENGTH AND DETERMINATION OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES SAID AT THE ANNUAL CIVIL AID SERVICES DINNER THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING AS THE PRINCIPAL GUEST AT THE CAS DINNER

MR AKERS-JONES SAID, +AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLECTIVE STRENGTH WE HAVE BUILT A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG, TO WHICH WE ALL HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING,

+THIS COMMON RESOLVE AND SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY IS DEMONSTRATED, FIRSTLY, BY THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTION MADE BY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, AND, SECONDLY, BY THE WILLINGNESS OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO VOLUNTEER THE IR DIRECT SUPPORT FOR REGULAR UNITS OF POLICE, FIRE AND MEDICAL SERVICES AND OTHER BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT.+

HE DESCRIBED THE CIVIL AID SERVICES AS A HIGHLY TRAINED AND ENTHUSIASTIC ORGANISATION WHOSE ROLE IS ESSENTIAL NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

HE ALSO PRAISED THE PERMANENT STAFF, VOLUNTEER MEMBERS AND CADETS OF THE CAS FOR THE IR CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST YEAR.

CAS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER (OPERATIONS), MR JOHN FORTUNE, PRESENTED THE SPEECH BY THE CAS COMMISSIONER, MR ROGER LOBO.

IN HIS ADDRESS, MR LOBO SAID IN THE CAS FAMILY, THERE WAS ALWAYS +GREAT ENTHUSIASM AND HARMONIOUS SPIRIT+ WHETHER AT TIMES OF DISASTER, IN PEACEFUL TIMES OR IN FUN.

HE STRESSED THAT CIVIC TASKS LIKE CROWD AND TRAFFIC CONTROL, PERFORMED BY THE CAS, SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

+CAS INVOLVEMENT IN CIVIC DUTIES HELPS NOT ONLY TO BIND THE SERVICE TOGETHER, THUS CREATING A FRIENDLY COMRADESHIP AMONG OFFICERS, MEMBERS AND CADETS, BUT ALSO AND NOT LESS IMPORTANT, IT HELPS TO BUILD A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CONFIDENCE AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

+THIS FELLOWSHIP WHICH WE ENJOY WITHIN THE SERVICE BECOMES AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN TIMES OF ADVERSITY AND DURING EMERGENCIES, + HE SAID.

THE CAS ALSO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE TO OTHER YOUTHS WHEN PERFORMING CIVIC TASKS, HE ADDED.

MR LOBO WAS HAPPY TO NOTE THAT THE DISCIPLINE AND SKILLS TRAINING WHICH CAS CADETS RECEIVED HELPED THEM TO SETTLE DOWN EARLIER TO ADULTHOOD.

/LAST YEAR,