XN000022-1994-03-25 — Page 28

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FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 1994

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UNFORTUNATELY, IN MANY SOCIETIES, HONG KONG BEING NO EXCEPTION, THE FAMILY UNIT IS BREAKING UP. THIS TERRITORY, IN PARTICULAR, SEEN DYNAMIC CHANGES IN THE LAST DECADE, HE NOTED.

OUR POPULATION IS AGEING; SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES ARE GROWING IN NUMBER; THE DIVORCE RATE IS RISING, AS IS FAMILY VIOLENCE, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990S AND BEYOND, MR STRACHAN SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAD SPECIFIC PROGRAMMES TO HELP FAMILIES STAY CLEAR OF TROUBLE, то SUPPORT CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS TO REMAIN IN THE FAMILY WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND TO HELP LESS FORTUNATE FAMILIES COPE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS.

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THE GOVERNOR, IN HIS 1993 POLICY SPEECH, HAD HIGHLIGHTED IMPORTANCE TO REAFFIRM THE FAMILY'S ROLE AS THE BASIC BUILDING BLOCK FOR A STABLE SOCIETY.

HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT WOULD SPEND MORE THAN $900 MILLION ON FAMILY AND CHILD WELFARE THIS YEAR, REPRESENTING A REAL INCREASE OF 17.5 PER CENT OVER THAT OF LAST YEAR, HE ADDED.

IN CONCLUSION, MR STRACHAN COMMENDED THE NON-GOVERNMENT SECTOR FOR BEING A VALUABLE PARTNER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE PROVISION OF FAMILY WELFARE SERVICES.

40 EX-CHINA VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SENT BACK

FORTY EX-CHINA VIETNAMESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (ECVIIS), COMPRISING 16 MEN. EIGHT WOMEN, EIGHT BOYS AND EIGHT GIRLS, WERE RETURNED то HAIKOU, HAINAN THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING ON A COMMERCIAL FLIGHT.

DISCUSSIONS ARE CONTINUING WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ON THE REPATRIATION OF THE REMAINING 700 ECVIIS IN HONG KONG.

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CLOSURE OF YAU MA TEI ILLEGAL STRUCTURE SOUGHT

THE BUILDING AUTHORITY IS SEEKING то CLOSE AN UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURE IN YAU MA TEI, SO THAT IT CAN BE DEMOLISHED WITHOUT CAUSING DANGER TO OCCUPIERS AND THE PUBLIC.

THE TWO-STOREY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE IS ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR OF A BUILDING AT THE JUNCTION OF 174-184A TEMPLE STREET AND 19-21 NING PO STREET.

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