XN000022-1987-03-04 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1987

FITTING OUT OF WELFARE PREMISES TO BE EXPEDITED

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO HAVE FITTING-OUT WORKS OF WELFARE PREMISES INCLUDED IN THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN FUTURE SO THAT SUCH FITTING OUT COULD BE FINISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE PREMISES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANGON CHAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+COMPARED WITH THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF HAVING PREMISES FITTED OUT AFTER THEY ARE HANDED OVER BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THIS WILL MEAN A SAVING OF SIX TO NINE MONTHS,+ SHE SAID,

MRS CHAN WAS OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING OF THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS FONG WONG WOON TEI HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY IN CHEUNG WAH ESTATE, FANLING, ONE OF THE FIRST BATCH OF 25 WELFARE PROJECTS ENTRUSTED TO THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT FOR FITTING OUT.

SHE SAID AT PRESENT FOUR TYPES OF SERVICES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS FITTING-OUT PROGRAMME. THESE WERE NURSERY, CHILDREN AND YOUTH CENTRE, SOCIAL CENTRE FOR THE ELDERLY AND HOSTEL FOR THE ELDERLY.

SHE ADDED THAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS WERE DISCUSSING FOR CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAMME.

+ IT IS HOPED THAT THROUGH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE TWO DEPARTMENTS, MORE WELFARE FACILITIES CAN BE PROVIDED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, SHE SAID.

MRS CHAN THANKED THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WELFARE SERVICES.

SHE NOTED THAT THE NEW HOSTEL WOULD PROVIDE 115 MEAL PLACES AND 34 SELF-CARE PLACES, BRINGING THE TOTAL PROVISION FOR THE ELDERLY POPULATION TO 4917 MEAL PLACES AND 2 148 SELF-CARE PLACES.

LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, MRS CHAN OPENED THE CHEUNG WAH DAY NURSERY RUN BY THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS IN THE SAME ESTATE.

OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING, SHE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS REVIEWING THE POLICY ON PRE-PRIMARY SERVICES IN THE LIGHT OF THE PUBLIC'S VIEWS ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S REPORT NO 2.

+THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS STILL PLANNING TO EXPAND NURSERY SERVICES AND ABOUT 1 500 MORE PLACES WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, SHE SAID.

SHE SAID THAT CHEUNG WAH ESTATE HAD A POPULATION OF 23 000 AND THE NEW NURSERY SHOULD MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS IN THE AREA.

THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS OPERATES A TOTAL OF TEN DAY NURSERIES WITH OVER 1 000 PLACES.

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