XN000022-1985-09-27 — Page 16

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1985

MRS CHAN SAID THAT HALF-WAY HOUSES AND HOSTELS FOR THE EX-MENTALLY ILL HAD EXISTED AND WORKED WELL IN HONG KONG FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

WITH RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN STAFFING STANDARDS AND FACILITIES, IT WAS HOPED TO PREPARE RESIDENTS FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING WITHIN A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME THAN HAD BEEN POSSIBLE BEFORE, THUS ENSURING THAT THEIR EVENTUAL REUNION WITH THEIR FAMILIES WOULD HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

+THIS LATTER POINT BEARS STRESSING, FOR IT IS NOT OFTEN APPRECIATED BY THE PUBLIC THAT IF AN EX-MENTALLY ILL PERSON IS FORCED BACK INTO HIS FAMILY BEFORE EITHER PARTY IS READY, WE RUN THE REAL RISK OF A RELAPSE OCCURRING WITH FAMILY MEMBERS TOTALLY UNABLE TO COPE,+ MRS CHAN SAID.

SHE EMPHASISED THAT WITHOUT PUBLIC SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY IN THE VERY NECESSARY FIELD OF SOCIAL INTERACTION AND EMPLOYMENT, NO FORM OF COMMUNITY CARE COULD REALLY SUCCEED.

THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO ACHIEVE A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN ATTITUDE, MRS CHAN SAID.

EGYPT JOINS SPEEDPOST NETWORK ****

SPEEDPOST SERVICE WILL BE EXTENDED TO EGYPT FROM TUESDAY (OCTOBER 1), BRINGING TO 36 THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THE NETWORK SERVED FROM HONG KONG.

SPEEDPOST ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR TRANSMISSION TO CAIRO, ALEXANDRIA AND PORT SAID IN EGYPT, A POST OFFICE SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ITEMS POSTED IN HONG KONG ON MONDAY AND SATURDAY WILL BE DELIVERED IN CAIRO ON THE NEXT WORKING DAY, WHILE THOSE POSTED BETWEEN TUESDAY AND FRIDAY WILL BE DELIVERED ON THE SECOND WORK ING DAY.

BOTH +CONTRACT+ AND +ON DEMAND+ SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMIT PER ITEM IS 15 KG AND THE POSTAGE RATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

*

ITEMS WEIGHING UNDER 250G

$70-

*

ITEMS WEIGHING BETWEEN 250G AND 500G

* EACH SUBSEQUENT ADDITIONAL 500G

$80- AND

$20

SPEEDPOST IS A FAST AND RELIABLE MEANS FOR FORWARDING BUSINESS DOCUMENTS, SAMPLES AND MERCHANDISE OVERSEAS AND FREE PICK-UP SERVICE IS AVAILABLE.

CUSTOMERS REQUIRING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICE SHOULD CALL THE POSTAL SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES ON 5-2671108.

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