GR 2655
CONFIDENTIAL
14
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 0607092 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELNO.208 OF 6 FEBRUARY,
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.
HKK 360 RAINED IN REGISTRY NO.
DEMA OF
INDEX
FEB1979
PA
No Jalz QË
YOUR TELNO.99 : HOUSE OF LORDS P.Q: BOAT DWELLERS.
1. M.I.P.T..
2. THE SOCIETY OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATION (SOCO) WAS FOUNDED IN 1971
BY THE PROTESTANT AND ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES TO TRAIN YOUNG SOCIA WORKERS IN THE FOSTERING OF A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND THE
ENCOURAGEMENT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE SOLUTION OF COMMUNITY
PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG.
3. THE ORGANISATION HAS DEVELOPED INTO AN EFFECTIVE BODY WHICH
SEEKS GENERALLY TO STIMULATE COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS, TO PROVIDE
TRAINING AND TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH SIMILAR ORGANISATIONS OVERSEAS. IT ADVISES ON THE ORGANISATION OF, OR ITSELF ORGANISES,
GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH A COMMUNITY GRIEVANCE AND USES THE PRESS, OPEN DISCUSSION AND PETITION AS MEANS OF APPLYING PRESSURE ON THE
GOVERNMENT.
4. SINCE ITS FORMATION IT HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN A LARGE NUMBER OF
LOCAL CAUSES, PRIMARILY IN THE HOUSING FIELD, RANGING FROM THE RENEWAL OF LATRINES TO THE USE OF ROOFS OF HOUSING ESTATES FOR AMENITY PURPOSES AND THE REHOUSING OF LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. IT HAS SOMETIMES PRESSED FOR TOO MUCH TO BE DONE TOO QUICKLY, AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER EQUALLY WORTHY OBJECTIVES, AND ON OCCASIONS ITS MOTIVES HAVE APPEARED DUBIOUS, BUT ON THE WHOLE
IT HAS BEHAVED RESPONSIBLY.
5. DIRECTION IS IN THE HANDS OF A FEW PEOPLE AND THE FIELD WORK
IS DONE BY HALF A DOZEN PAID STAFF, ASSISTED BY A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER UNDERGRADUATES.
6. THE ORGANISATION IS FINANCED BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CHRISTIAN
BODIES IN HONG KONG AND ABROAD.
MACLEHOSE
FILE S:
TO
CONES LONG GOVT OFFICE, LONDON
H K & G D (6)
CONFIDENTIAL
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