XN000022-1988-05-11 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1988

MR HUI SAID HE WOULD GO BEYOND THE THEORETIC FRAMEWORK PRESENTED BY THE REPORT, AND URGE GOVERNMENT ΤΟ TRANSLATE THE REPORT'S PRINCIPLES INTO DIRECTIVES, FILTERING DOWN TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL.

"THIS WAY, POLICY DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH SPECIAL ON YOUNG PEOPLE, NOT WHEN NECESSARY AND JUSTIFIED', BUT AS

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PARCEL OF POLICY FORMULATION."

EMPHASIS PART AND

HE SAID THAT FIRM DECISIONS ON YOUTH POLICY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO BRING ABOUT REFORMS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND REVISION OF CERTAIN LABOUR LEGISLATION IN ORDER TO MAXIMISE EDUCATION AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH.

HE ALSO SAID THAT TO FOSTER THE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUTH WORK THAT SUPPLEMENTED FORMAL EDUCATION COULD BE EXPANDED AND VOLUNTEER SERVICE PROMOTED.

GREATER EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION BY YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS THROUGH LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND CIVIC EDUCATION. THIS WOULD HELP TO ENHANCE THE STATUS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOCIETY.

YOUTH

MR HUI SAID HE HAD OUTLINED SOME PRIORITIES FOR AN IDEAL POLICY, BUT HE SAID THESE HAD TO BE BACKED BY CONCRETE PLANS AND A SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.

THE MAIN TASK NOW WAS TO SET UP THE PROPOSED COMMISSION ON YOUTH WHICH WOULD BE THE ONLY GUARANTEE OF SMOOTH CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL.

IN ADDITION TO THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSED FUNCTIONS, HE SUGGESTED THAT IT SHOULD ALSO MONITOR VARIOUS SOCIAL POLICIES AND RECOMMEND LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AFFECTING THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE.

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"THIS HIGH-POWERED COMMISSION, TO BE HEADED BY A COMMISSIONER FOR YOUTH, SHOULD FEATURE MEMBERSHIP DRAWN FROM RELATED DISCIPLINES, RE SALD.

HE ALSO SAID THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMISSION'S WORK COULD NOT BE OVER-EMPHASISED, IF HONG KONG'S YOUTH POLICY WAS TO MEET THE IR EMERGING NEEDS IN RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.

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COMMENTING THAT IT HAD TAKEN TWO DECADES FOR HONG. KONG TO FORMULATE A YOUTH POLICY, MR HUI SAID THE TIME HAD COME TO "GET THE POLICY OFF THE GROUND" AND TO SHOW THE YOUNGER GENERATION THAT WERE BEING CARED FOR.

THEY

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