XN000022-1987-01-08 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1987

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ASKED ABOUT THE NEW POLITICAL ADVISER, MR RICHARD CLIFT, SIR DAVID SAID# +HE IS AN OLD FRIEND OF HONG KONG. HE IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE HONG KONG SITUATION AND ABOUT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ALL ITS DETAILS.

+SO I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT MR CLIFT WILL BE ABLE TO PICK UP FROM JOHN BOYD EXACTLY WHERE HE LEFT OFF.+

HE DISAGREED THAT THERE WOULD BE ANY CHANGES IN HIS ROLE AND WORK. + I AM SURE CONTINUITY WILL BE WELL MAINTAINED, HE ADDED.

NEW CENTRE WILL HELP BLIND TO INTEGRATE *****

THE VARIOUS REHABILITATION SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB CENTRE FOR THE BLIND WILL HELP TO ACHIEVE THE AIM OF INTEGRATING BLIND PEOPLE INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIETY, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

OFFICIALLY OPENING THE CENTRE, SIR DAVID SAID ITS REHABILITATION SERVICES WOULD ENABLE THE BLIND TO DEVELOP THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL CAPABILITIES OF BLIND PEOPLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THAT THEIR DISABILITY PERMITTED.

+THIS BUILDING IS UNIQUE IN MANY WAYS, HE SAID, IT IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG TO PROVIDE A MULTI-FACETED SERVICE FOR THE TRAINING AND REHABILITATION OF THE BLIND, WITH MEDICAL, SOCIAL, RECREATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES ALL UNDER ONE ROOF.

+BOTH THE CONCEPT OF THIS CENTRE AND THE SERVICES WHICH IT PROVIDES HAVE PUT IT IN THE FOREFRONT OF PROVISION FOR THE BLIND.

+PARTICULARLY NOTEWORTHY ARE THE CENTRALISED COMPUTERISED BRAILLE PRODUCTION UNIT, WHICH WILL BENEFIT BLIND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE TERRITORY, AND THE HOSTEL FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED BLIND, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG.+

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE PROJECT, MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB, THE LOTTERIES FUND AND THE BRADBURY TRUST FUND, AMONG OTHER SOURCES.

+RECOGNITION MUST ALSO BE GIVEN TO THE HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND UNDER THE CAPABLE LEADERSHIP OF ITS DIRECTOR, MR K.L. STUMPF. WHO HAS WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A SUCCESS, + HE SAID.

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