XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 30

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

I

24

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS FOR THE DISABLED

BARRIERS THAT OPPORTUNITIES IN CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY

THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO BREAK DOWN THE ISOLATE THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND RESTRICT THEIR LIFE, THE GOVERNOR, (WEDNESDAY).

IN

THE ᎡᎢ HON

THE

COUNCIL, HIS ANNUAL POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE GOVERNOR SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT HAD TO GO BEYOND PROVIDING THEM WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

COMMITMENT INCLUDED TRAINING, THE

REHABILITATION,

TRANSPORT,

WITH

WITHIN

ALL EMPLOYMENT AND

HELP THOSE THE OTHER SERVICES WHICH WILL SPECIAL NEEDS TO LEAD AS FULL AND REWARDING LIVES AS POSSIBLE THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

INDIVIDUALS IT IS ESTIMATED THAT HONG KONG HAS 286,000 SOME FORM OF DISABILITY AND NEARLY $6 BILLION WILL BE SPENT THIS ON PROGRAMMES TO HELP PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY.

WITH

YEAR

THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO HELP THE DISABLED BREAKING THE BARRIERS WILL BE:

DOWN

* TO FIGHT PREJUDICE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY

A MAJOR PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN;

*

TO

QUALITY

109 IN

THROUGH

SHELTERED

THE IMPROVE WORKSHOPS AND DAY ACTIVITY CENTRES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS,

CENTRES TO ΤΟ PROVIDE 737 ADDITIONAL PLACES IN PRE-SCHOOL

FOR

OF TRAINING

HELP MEET INCREASED DEMAND AND TO EXPAND THE PROGRAMMES BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH AUTISM;

TO IDENTIFY HOW TO IMPROVE THE JOB PROSPECTS OF THE DISABLED

WHEN A NEXT YEAR

JOINT WORKING GROUP COMPLETES A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED FOR THEM;

*

то SUPPORT A FURTHER EXPANSION OF THE REHABUS 1995/96. AS A

ABLE RESULT, IT WILL BE

TO PROVIDE 300,000 PASSENGER TRIPS A YEAR, AN INCREASE OF 26 PER AND

SERVICE IN

OVER CENT,

*

TO PROPOSE

LEGISLATION

TO PROTECT

THE

DISABLED

AGAINST

DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT.

ABOUT THE

AS THE

IN THIS RESPECT, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WHEN WE TALK RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL, WE MEAN EVERYONE: THE POOR AS WELL RICH, THE DISABLED AS WELL AS THE ABLE-BODIED, AND IT IS THE RIGHTS OF SHOULD HAVE FIRST THE MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS IN OUR SOCIETY WHICH CLAIM ON OUR ATTENTION.

"I

BELIEVE THAT,

THROUGHOUT HONG KONG,

THERE

IS

A

STRONG

CONSENSUS THAT ALL THOSE WITH A DISABILITY HAVE A RIGHT TO OUR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND SUPPORT.

"THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENSURE THAT THEY GET IT,

14 HE SAID.

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