XN000022-1984-12-13 — Page 11

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1984

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+THEY CAN ALSO BE EXEMPTED FROM THE VEHICLE LICENCE FEE FOR A PRIVATE CAR WITH ENGINE CAPACITY NOT EXCEEDING 1 500 C.C., AS WELL AS THE FIRST REGISTRATION TAX ON A CAR WITH A TAXABLE VALUE OF UP TO $30 000, PROVIDED THEY HAVE NOT PURCHASED ANY CAR WITHIN THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS.+

BUT BEFORE APPROVAL IS GIVEN, THE DISABLED MUST TAKE A MEDICAL CHECK-UP AND OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE FROM THE MEDICAL AND HEAL TH DEPARTMENT STATING THEY HAVE CONSIDERABLE WALKING DIFFICULTY.

THEY MUST ALSO ATTEND A SIMULATOR TEST CONDUCTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, WHICH DETERMINES THE IR FITNESS TO DRIVE AND THE TYPE OF VEHICLE MODIFICATION REQUIRED TO SUIT THEIR DRIVING ABILITY, SAID MR AU.

THE TEST AIMS TO ASSESS THE CANDIDATE'S REACTION, RANGE OF MOVEMENT, STRENGTH OF LIMBS, AND WRIST AND NECK CONTROL.

TO PROCESS LICENSING AND DRIVING TEST FORMALITIES FOR THE DISABLED, A SPECIAL COUNTER HAS BEEN SET UP AT THE DEPARTMENT'S LICENSING OFFICE IN DUNDAS STREET, MONG KOK.

DISABLED CAR-OWNERS, MR AU SAID, CAN APPLY FOR PRIVILEGED PARKING LABELS WHICH ALLOW THEM FREE PARKING AT METERED PLACES.

HE SAID THAT BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 272 PRIVILEGED PARKING LABELS HAD BEEN ISSUED, AND THERE WERE NOW 425 DISABLED PEOPLE POSSESSING FULL DRIVING LICENCES IN HONG KONG.

BUT NOT ALL OF THEM CAN AFFORD TO BUY A CAR. MR LAU STU-WING HAS COME ACROSS CASES IN WHICH THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE OF SIMILAR DISABILITY, LIVING OR WORKING NEAR EACH OTHER, OWN AND SHARE A CAR.

MR LAU SAID HE HAD CHOSEN DRIVING INSTRUCTION AS HIS LIFETIME CAREER.

+ I AM INTERESTED IN DRIVING, AND I ENJOY TRAINING DISABLED PEOPLE INTO GOOD DRIVERS, HE SAID.

HEALTH INSPECTOR'S WEEK AS AN AMBASSADOR

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PUBLIC HEALTH PRESENTS A WORLDWIDE CHALLENGE, AND THOSE DEDICATED TO PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH TEND TO ESTABLISH WORLDWIDE CONTACTS.

THIS HELPS TO EXPLAIN WHY MR LAM KAM-KONG, THE MAN IN CHARGE OF CLEANSING SERVICES IN MONG KOK, KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS AND PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS IN DETROIT. IT WAS

IN THIS AMERICAN CITY THAT HE SPENT A WEEK LAST YEAR ACTING AS AN UNOFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL AND FOR HONG KONG.

/ME LAM,

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