XN000022-1987-07-01 — Page 26

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1987

HE SAID THAT BEHIND THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WAS AN INDIFFERENT OFFICIAL ATTITUDE REFLECTED IN THE SETTING UP OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON STREET SLEEPERS LAST MONTH

10 YEARS AFTER THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FIRST MADE IN 1977.

HE SAID THERE ALSO SEEMED ΤΟ BE AN UNDER-ESTIMATION BY GOVERNMENT OF THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM, WITH THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT FIGURES FAILING TO TALLY WITH THOSE PRODUCED BY THE SLEEPER ACTION COMMITTEE AND THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT BOARD RESEARCH.

STREET

SURVEY

VARIOUS

"GOVERNMENT'S APATHY IS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE TENDENCY OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED TO PASS THE BUCK TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE POLICE REFUSING TO PICK UP STREET SLEEPERS WHO CAUBE NO DISTURBANCE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC," HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, UNDERSTAFFED WITH ONLY EIGHT SOCIAL WORKERS MANNING ITS OUTREACH TEAM, FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO COPE, WHILE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST.

HE ADDED THAT IN VIEW OF THE NATURE AND COMPLEXITY OF THEIR PROBLEMS, COORDINATION OF EXISTING SOCIAL SERVICES WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO UPROOT THE PROBLEM OF STREET SLEEPING. THE PROBLEM MUST BE LOOKED AT IN ITS ENTIRETY AND TACKLED BY A SPECIAL TASK FORCE WITH CONCENTRATED EFFORTS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

"TO BEGIN WITH, MULTI-PURPOSE ACCOMMODATIONS MUST BE DESIGNED AND MADE AVAILABLE

INCLUDING COMPASSIONATE HOUSING FOR SINGLETON STREET SLEEPERS HANDLED BY A SPECIAL HOUSING DEPARTMENT UNIT; HOSTELS AT PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN INNER URBAN AREAS RUN BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES; AND SHARED APARTMENTS OR RENTED BEDSPACES IN PRIVATE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD THE RENT," HE SAID.

OTHER SERVICE URGENTLY REQUIRED INCLUDED INTENSIFICATION OF MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY FOR STREET SLEEPERS; EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S AFTER-CARE SERVICE, HALF-WAY HOUSES FOR MENTALLY ILL STREET SLEEPERS AND STREET SLEEPER SHELTERS AND HOSTELS; INCREASED EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR STREET SLEEPERS; AS WELL AS SPECIAL SUPPORT GIVEN TO STREET SLEEPES WITHOUT IDENTITY CARDS.

MR HUI STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE BE GIVEN THE ROLE OF MONITORING ACTION PLANS FOR CONTAINING THE PROBLEM OF STREET SLEEPERS TO BE DRAWN UP BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.

"ONLY WHEN THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE CAN ENSURE THAT THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY IS WORKING SMOOTHLY то PROVIDE BACK-UP SERVICES TO ACCOMMODAT LON PROVISIONS FOR STREET SLEEPERS CAN WE BE SANGUINE ABOUT A CONCRETE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IN HAND, HE SAID.

/HE ALSO