XN000022-1993-03-10 — Page 34

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1993

ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT FOR DISPLACED HANDICAPPED WORKERS

MANY OF THE HANDICAPPED WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED AS A RESULT OF OFFICE AUTOMATION AND MOVING OF FACTORIES ACROSS THE BORDER HAVE FOUND ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT IN THE GROWING SERVICE INDUSTRIES, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS ELSIE TU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR CHAN SAID THE MAIN LOSS OF JOBS FOR DISABLED WORKERS DUE TO OFFICE AUTOMATION HAD BEEN IN RESPECT OF BLIND TELEPHONISTS.

"TO

ASSIST THOSE AFFECTED TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT, THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL (VTC) HAS CHANGED ITS TELEPHONE OPERATOR COURSE TO AN OFFICE RECEPTION COURSE WHICH INCORPORATES TRAINING IN COMPUTER SKILLS RELATED TO OFFICE PRACTICE, HE SAID.

"THESE ADDITIONAL SKILLS, WHEN USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH SPECIAL TECHNICAL AIDS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, WILL ENABLE THEM TO PERFORM A WIDER RANGE OF DUTIES."

MR CHAN SAID THE VTC HAD ALSO INTRODUCED GENERAL SERVICES COURSES FOR THE MENTALLY DISABLED WHO, UPON GRADUATION, GENERALLY HAD NO PROBLEM IN FINDING EMPLOYMENT IN AREAS SUCH AS CLEANING, FAST FOOD, GENERAL OFFICE WORK AND MESSENGERIAL SERVICE.

IN ADDITION, THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VTC AND THE REHABILITATION DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE COUNSELLING, ASSESSMENT AND PLACEMENT SERVICES AND EXPLORE NEW EMPLOYMENT AVENUES FOR THE DISABLED.

OF

FOR

THE 2,705 DISABLED WORKERS WHO APPLIED TO THE DIVISION JOBS LAST YEAR, 1,366 HAD BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN JOBS COMPATIBLE WITH THEIR ABILITY AND APTITUDE.

MR CHAN ALSO NOTED THAT EMPLOYERS WHO WISHED TO MAKE THE NECESSARY OFFICE ADAPTATION TO ACCOMMODATE DISABLED PERSONS WOULD BE GIVEN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND TECHNICAL ADVICE UNDER AN EMPLOYAID SCHEME FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY CHEST.

WAYS TO TACKLE CAR REPAIR WORKSHOP POLLUTION

*

WHICH

A STUDY ON THE PLANNING FOR VEHICLE REPAIR WORKSHOPS, WILL BE COMPLETED IN MID-1993, WOULD ENABLE THE ADMINISTRATION ΤΟ DEVISE A STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY VEHICLE REPAIR WORKSHOPS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

/MR EASON