XN000022-1990-09-24 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1990

THE GOVERNOR WAS THEN ASKED IF THE FIRST PLANELOAD OF REPATRIATION WAS GOING TO TAKE EFFECT SOON? IN REPLY THE GOVERNOR SAID: "NO, I SAID THERE HASN'T BEEN A DATE FIXED, BUT THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO DO IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THERE IS NO PRECISE DATE BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT WE'VE ONLY JUST REACHED THE AGREEMENT AND THERE HAS GOT ΤΟ BE A LOT OF COUNSELLING DONE BY UNHCR."

HE WAS FURTHER ASKED: "BUT DO YOU THINK IT WILL GO AHEAD BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR?" TO WHICH THE GOVERNOR REPLIED: "I CERTAINLY HOPE IT WILL GO AHEAD BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. WE DO NEED TO GET ON WITH THIS WHOLE BUSINESS AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN."

PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON DRAFT WHITE PAPER

ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ORGANISE A SERIES OF BRIEFINGS AND DEBATES ON THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE POLICIES AND SERVICES WHICH WAS RELEASED LAST TUESDAY.

AT A MEETING TODAY (MONDAY), MEMBERS OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SWAC) WERE INFORMED THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

IN BRIEFING THE COMMITTEE ON THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION THE PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, CHOW, SAID A BRIEFING SESSION FOR DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN AND WOULD BE HELD EARLY NEXT MONTH, AND THE WHITE PAPER WOULD BE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN EARLY NOVEMBER.

EXERCISE, MR ALAN MEMBERS

DEBATED

IF EVERYTHING GOES AS SCHEDULED, SWAC WILL CONSIDER THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR AND THE DOCUMENT WILL

BE PRESENTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THE FOLLOWING MONTH.

IN ADDITION TO DISCUSSING THE PRIORITIES FOR NEW OR IMPROVED SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES IN THE NEXT FOUR FINANCIAL YEARS, SWAC MEMBERS TODAY ALSO DISCUSSED THE DEMAND, SUPPLY AND SHORTFALL OF SOCIAL WORK MANPOWER AS WELL AS THE PROVISION AND FINANCING CARE CENTRES.

OF CHILD

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