XN000022-1992-05-08 — Page 28

FRIDAY, MAY 8, 1992

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THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONTINUING INTEREST OF FOREIGN BANKS IN ENTERING THE LOCAL MARKET REFLECTED HONG KONG'S CONTINUED IMPORTANCE AS A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE.

THE LICENCE FOR THE YAMAGUCHI BANK IS THE FIRST BANKING LICENCE GRANTED THIS YEAR.

THERE ARE NOW 162 LICENSED BANKS IN HONG ARE INCORPORATED OUTSIDE THE TERRITORY.

KONG, OF WHICH

132

DISABLED PEOPLE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE

*

WITH

AND

DISABLED PEOPLE CAN BE TRAINED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SKILLS A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT, THEY CAN OFTEN BE AS PRODUCTIVE AS THEIR ABLE-BODIED COUNTERPARTS.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR M.D. CARTLAND, AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND WEST.

MR CARTLAND SAID THE GOVERNMENT, AS THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN HONG KONG, HAD TAKEN THE LEAD IN EMPLOYING DISABLED PERSONS.

YEAR.

THERE WERE 3,769 DISABLED EMPLOYEES IN THE CIVIL SERVICE LAST

"THEY HAVE PROVED THEMSELVES TO BE DEDICATED AND EFFICIENT WORKERS," HE SAID.

RATHER THAN

BEING LOOKED UPON AS A DRAIN ON COMMUNITY RESOURCES, MR CARTLAND STRESSED THAT THE DISABLED SHOULD BE REGARDED AS A RESOURCE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, ONE WHICH COULD BE DEPLOYED ΤΟ THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

"REHABILITATION IS NOT ONLY AN AREA WHERE THERE IS A NEED FOR ALL TO HELP, FOR ALL TO CONTRIBUTE, BUT IT IS ALSO AN AREA WHERE THERE IS AMPLE SCOPE TO DO SO," HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE TRADITIONAL ENGAGE IN FUND RAISING FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

RESPONSE HAD BEEN TO

SUCH EFFORTS WERE INDEED USEFUL FOR INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN SHARING THE BURDEN OF FUNDING WELFARE SERVICES, MR CARTLAND SAID, ADDING THAT THEY SUPPLEMENTED FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER SOURCES AND HELPED TO SPEED UP THE PROVISION OF MUCH-NEEDED FACILITIES.

"HOWEVER, IMPORTANT THOUGH RESOURCES ARE, AND THEY ARE OF COURSE ESSENTIAL TO THE PROVISION OF MANY SERVICES, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO THINK THAT MONEY ALONE WOULD SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, HE STRESSED.

/INDEED, HE