FS visits Islands District (With Photos and video)

FS visits Islands District (With Photos and video)
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The Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, visited Islands District this afternoon (April 27) to see the effectiveness of various employment assistance programmes in Tung Chung and the progress of local improvement projects on Lantau.

Accompanied by the District Officer (Islands) Mr Byron Lam, Mr Tang first visited an integrated social service centre at Fu Tung Estate, Tung Chung. The centre is fully subvented by the Social Welfare Department to provide comprehensive services to the local residents.

Mr Tang was particularly interested in the employee retraining and employment assistance services provided by the centre. He inspected two retraining classes there before joining a tea gathering with a group of trainees and participants of various retraining and employment assistance programmes organised by the centre. He listened to them outline the challenges they faced in finding employment and other concerns they had.

"The Government's core belief in poverty alleviation work is to improve the overall economic environment and provide the necessary support to enhance employment opportunities for people in poverty who are able to work so that they can improve their livelihood and help their families," Mr Tang said.

"I am very pleased to see that many of the participants here today have been able to find jobs after completing their retraining courses or through the support of the employment assistance programme they joined. Rejoining the work force provides not only income to improve their livelihood, but more important, improves self-confidence through better connection with and contributing to the community."

Mr Tang then went to Tai O to inspect local development and improvement works projects. He also spoke to local residents at the Tai O market to understand more about the situations of the local community.

Mr Tang said at the end of the visit that the vision of the Lantau Development Concept Plan was to promote sustainable development by balancing development and conservation needs.

"The Government will give priority to those proposals which will boost the local economy with direct benefits to the local community such as the local improvement works in Tai O, which will improve the environment and facilitate tourism and economic development.", he said.

Ends/Friday, April 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:42

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