XN000022-1992-12-11 — Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1992

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SUMMIT MEETING PROPOSED FOR DISABLED

TO

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, HAS SUGGESTED HOLD AN ANNUAL SUMMIT MEETING BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DISABLED, TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND GOVERNMENT.

SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER HIS FIRST MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DISABLED AND TRANSPORT OPERATORS, HE SAID TODAY'S MEETING WAS A VALUABLE ONE.

"EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE HAD GOOD, SIMPLE, CLEAR IDEAS ABOUT

WHAT FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS WE COULD MAKE," HE NOTED.

I THINK IT'S ALSO THE CASE THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES OF TRANSPORT OPERATORS WANTED TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MAKE PROGRESS TOO."

THERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO, MR PATTEN

STRESSED.

"FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ΤΟ THEM ALREADY, AND THEIR GOVERNMENT WILL BE TAKING A LEAD IN THE PRODUCTION OF A BOOKLET FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AROUT HOW BEST THEY CAN GET ABOUT HONG KONG.

"SECONDLY, I THINK THAT WE HAVE THIS AFTERNOON POLITELY REQUESTED THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO IMPROVE FACILITIES FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.

"IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TRAT IN PLANNING NEW TRANSPORT FACILITIES, WE TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE NEED OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES IF YOU THINK ABOUT THEM FROM THE OUTSET, RATHER THAN TRY TO ADD ON FACILITIES AFTER YOU'VE COMPLETED INFRASTRUCTURE.

WITH

"AND GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL, HE SAID.

"WE HAVE TO DO MORE, WE ARE COMMITTED TO DO MORE FOR DISABILITIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET ALL THE TARGETS THAT

SET OUT IN THE GREEN PAPER ON REHABILITATION.'

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AN

PEOPLE WERE

MR PATTEN SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE REHABUSES BEING PROVIDED AND THE NUMBER OF BUS ROUTES TO BE INCREASED BY FOUR EVERY YEAR OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, NOTING THAT THE EXPENDITURE ON REHABUS WOULD BE PUSHED UP FROM ABOUT $7 MILLION TO $57 MILLION.

"IT'S NOT A TOTAL ANSWER BY ANY MEANS, BUT IT IS A CONTRIBUTION AND ONE WHICH WE'RE DELIGHTED TO MAKE, HE SAID.

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