XN000022-1990-07-19 — Page 11

THURSDAY, JULY 19.

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JOINT EFFORTS TO HELP STREET SLEEPERS

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JOINT GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES COMMITTEE SET UP TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO STREET SLEEPERS, THE CHIEF SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HAS BEEN SECRETARY,

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE HOME OF LOVE MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY AT NAM CHEONG ESTATE, SHAM SHUI PO.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD TEAMS TO CONTACT STREET SLEEPERS INDIVIDUALLY AND TO HELP FIND SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION OR TO ENTER INSTITUTIONS.

OF THE

SPECIAL ΤΟ

THEM

"WE HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS, AND THE NUMBER OF STREET SLEEPERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT HAS REDUCED FROM 1,300 TO 1,000.'

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SIR DAVID SAID SIX MORE SHELTER HOMES HAD BEEN SET UP RECENTLY FOR STREET SLEEPERS AND OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE.

"THE EXPERIENCE IN HONG KONG AND OVERSEAS IS THAT WHILST THESE: SHELTER HOMES CANNOT ON THEIR OWN RESOLVE THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF THE PEOPLE, THE SHELTER PROVIDES THEM WITH A LIFELINE FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

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SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG COULD BE PROUD OF ITS MANY ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS, SUCH AS THE NEW TOWNS, MODERN TRANSPORT FACILITIES, THE HOUSING PROGRAMME AND RISING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS, BUT RAPID DEVELOPMENT HAD ALSO BROUGHT WITH IT THE STRESSES AND STRAINS OF A MODERN SOCIETY.

"ALTHOUGH OUR SOCIAL SERVICES ARE EXTENSIVE AND WE CAN BE PROUD OF THE STANDARDS THEY ACHIEVE, THERE ARE STILL GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS SUCH AS THE HOMELESS AND STREET SLEEPERS FOR WHOM A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE IS NOT YET AVAILABLE, HE SAID.

"

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID MANY OF THEIR PROBLEMS WERE COMPLEX AND DEEP-ROOTED, AND THEY DID NOT FIT EASILY INTO THE CONVENTIONAL FACILITIES WHICH WERE PROVIDED.

ON THE WORK OF THE SISTERS OF

MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY, SIR DAVID NOTED THAT THEY NOT ONLY PROVIDED PHYSICAL SHELTER ΤΟ STREET SLEEPERS, BUT DID SO WITH THE COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING WHICH WAS SO CRUCIAL TO BRING STREET SLEEPERS OUT OF ISOLATION AND BACK INTO THE FOLD OF THE COMMUNITY.

SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1985, THE HOME OF LOVE HAS SERVED ABOUT 600 HOMELESS ADULTS, PARTICULARLY THE OLD, THE INFIRM AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.

PREVIOUSLY LOCATED AT THE SHAM SHUI PO EX-ARMY CAMP UNTIL APRIL THIS YEAR, THE HOME HAS BEEN REPROVISIONED TO NAM CHEONG ESTATE TO MAKE WAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE CAMP SITE.

/THE NEW