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WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1987
NR L HAMBERS AGREED THAT EVERY EFFORT SHOL LD BE NADE ΤΟ PERSUADE STREET SLEEPERS TO USE THESE FACILITIES, BUT HE DJD NOT THINK THAT A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE. EXCEPT POSSIBLY IN CASES WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED POSED A DANGER EITHER TO HIMSELF OR TO OTHERS.
MR CHAMBERS NOTED THAT VOLUNTARY AGENCIES PLAYED A MOST USEFUL ROLE IN HELPING STREET SLEEPERS, PROVIDING NEARLY 1,000 TEMPORARY SHELTER PLACES.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALSO INTENDED TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN HELPING THE HOMELESS. ASSISTANCE FROM DISTRICT BOARDS AND YOUTH GROUPS WOULD BE ENLISTED.
MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT THE PROBLEM OF STREET SLEEPERS IN HONG KONG WAS QUITE COMPLEX AND CUT ACROSS THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND BRANCHES.
"IT SEEMED TO ME TO BE APPROPRIATE IN THIS YEAR OF SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS TO SET UP A CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ΤΟ REVIEW THE VARIOUS POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES AND TO CO-ORDINATE ACTION TO HELP STREET SLEEPERS", HE SAID,
THIS INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GROUP, CONVENED BY THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, WOULD ALSO BE LIAISING CLOSELY WITH DISTRICT BOARDS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES SO THAT A CO-ORDINATING COMMUNITY EFFORT COULD BE MOBILISED TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, HE ADDED.
MR CHAMBERS ASSURED THAT MEMBERS F COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS TODAY'S DEBATE WOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE.
IN
YEARS
MR CHAMBERS SAID THE NUMBER OF STREET SLEEPERS IN RECENT HAD BEEN FAIRLY STABLE AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN MARCH THIS YEAR IDENTIFIED A 1,319 STREET SLEEPERS, COMPARED WITH 1,333 IN 1986.
TOTAL OF
MOST STREET SLEEPERS WERE FOUND IN THE OLDER URBAN DISTRICTS SUCH AS YAU MA TEI, MONG KOK, SHAM SHUI PO, KOWLOON CITY, WONG TAI SIN, CENTRAL AND WESTERN AND WANCHAI.
MR CHAMBERS NOTED THAT IN THIS YEAR'S SURVEY, 31 PER CENT APPEARED TO BE IN NORMAL HEALTH, 30 PER CENT WERE DRUG ADDICTS, 12 PER CENT APPEARED TO SUFFER FROM SOME DEGREE OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR HANDICAP, 10 PER CENT FROM PHYSICAL AILMENTS AND EIGHT PER CENT WERE ALCOHOLICS,
SOME SAID THAT THEY SLEPT IN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT AFFORD THE HIGH RENTS CHARGED FOR ACCOMMODATION, BUT OTHERS, MAINLY THE YOUNGER, ABLE-BODIED STREET-SLEEPERS, DID SO APPARENTLY BECAUSE THEY FOUND IT CONVENIENT TO STAY CLOSE ΤΟ THEIR
WORK. MR CHAMBERS SAID.
/IT HAD
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