XN000022-1986-03-21 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1986

MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE FIVE MILLION HARD-WORKING AND RESOURCEFUL PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 30.

+THE FUTURE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG HINGES ON THE EFFORTS AND HARD WORK OF OUR YOUTH TODAY, HE SAID.

+WE, AS PARENTS, TEACHERS, EMPLOYERS, OR THOSE WORKING IN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, AND VERNMENT ARE CONCERNED TO TRAIN AND DEVELOP YOUNG POEPLE THROUGH ALL SORTS OF ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS LEADERSHIP TRAINING CAMPS, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS, HE ADDED,

+BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ALSO LEARN A LOT FROM YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES AND SHARE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WITH THEM.

+VERY OFTEN, IT IS THE CROSS-FERTILISATION OF EXPERIENCE THAT COUNTS, MR LIAO SAID.

+YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS NOT A ONE-WAY TRAFFIC TYPE OF BUSINESS, IT INVOLVES PARTICIPATION BY ALL,+ HE ADDED.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ARE AIMED AT FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING, MUTUAL CARE AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AMONG RESIDENTS AND TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG AS A COHESIVE AND HARMONIOUS SOCIETY.

+THESE OBJECTIVES ARE PROMOTED THROUGH THE PROVISION OF PURPOSE-BUILT FACILITIES SUCH AS COMMUNITY CENTRES FOR GROUP AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES, FORMATION OF RESIDENTS' ORGANISATIONS, AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON MATTERS WHICH AFFECT THEIR DAILY LIFE, SAID MR LIAO.

+THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY BUILDING AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE, WHOSE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS ALSO BECOME BETTER UNDERSTOOD BY THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

+WHILE IT IS NOT CONSIDERED PRACTICABLE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMUNITY BUILDING PROGRAMME TO SINGLE OUT YOUNG PEOPLE FOR SPECIAL TREATMENT, THE SETTING UP OF YOUTH CENTRES, THE LAUNCHING OF SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME, COMMONWEALTH YOUTH EXCHANGE SCHEME ARE NONETHELESS RECOGNITION OF THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE,+ HE ADDED.

MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO SINGLE BRANCH OR DEPARTMENT TO CATER EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE NEEDS OF YOUTH, BEARING IN MIND THE SPREAD OF SERVICES TO BE CATERED FOR BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE REMAINED AN AREA OF PRIME CONCERN FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

/+HAVING REGARD