XN000022-1986-01-25 — Page 5

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1986

MRS CHAN STRESSED THAT THESE CENTRES WERE NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE THE SECURITY AND WARMTH OF A NORMAL HOME, BUT SERVED AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THOSE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED ADULTS WHO LACKED FAMILY CARE OR WERE HOMELESS.

ON TRAINING FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, MRS CHAN SAID THAT MOST MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW WHO WERE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED, COULD GROW UP TO BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF SOCIETY WITH THE PROPER CARE AND TRAINING FROM PROFESSIONAL STAFF,

+OF COURSE, NOT EVERY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSON CAN LIVE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT LIVES. BUT GIVEN SUITABLE SUPPORT AND PROPER TRAINING, THEY CAN ACHIEVE A MEASURE OF INDEPENDENCE AND LIVE WITH SELF-RESPECT, INSTEAD OF BECOMING A BURDEN ON SOCIETY,+ SHE SAID.

ILLEGAL ELECTRICITY TAPPING DECLINING

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THE AVERAGE ELECTRICITY LOSS DUE TO ILLEGAL TAPPING IN KWUN TONG HAS DROPPED BY 20 PER CENT DURING THE PAST FOUR MONTHS, THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF KWUN TONG DISTRICT OFFICE, MR ERNEST HUNG, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

OFFICIATING AT THE KWUN TONG FIRE PREVENTION DAY, MR HUNG SAID: +LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN THE DISTRICT BOARD DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL TAPPING OF ELECTRICITY IN SQUATTER AREAS, THE FIGURE WAS AS HIGH AS 41 PER CENT.

+DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS, DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF HAVE BEEN VISITING SQUATTER RESIDENTS TO EXPLAIN THE HAZARDS OF ILLEGAL TAPPING AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR PROPER ELECTRICITY SUPPLY. +

IN DECEMBER, THE POWER LOSS IN KWUN TONG DECREASED TO ABOUT 21 PER CENT, AND SOME 350 ELECTRICITY APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES WERE RECEIVED IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.

ABOUT 43 000 PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN THE 39 SQUATTER AREAS IN THE DISTRICT.

+APPLICATIONS FROM SQUATTER AREAS ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER APPLICATIONS, AND THERE ARE NO EXTRA COSTS FOR CONNECTIONS, + MR HUNG EXPLAINED.

HE ALSO REMINDED RESIDENTS OF THE PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL TAPPING OF ELECTRICITY IN SQUATTER AREAS AND THE FIRE RISKS INVOLVED IN SUCH ACTIVITIES.

/+IN CASE ..................