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The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited street-sleepers in Sham Shui Po and Tsim Sha Tsui districts tonight (January 16) to better understand the situation of the homeless through personal contact.
Mr Cheung first visited an activity centre and a hostel of the Christian Concern for the Homeless Association in Sham Shui Po.
Director of the Christian Concern for the Homeless Association, Ms Ada Lai, and Member of Management Board, Mr Timothy Ma, explained the services provided by the association and the recent situation of street-sleepers.
Mr Cheung chatted with the residents in the hostel to find out why they had nowhere to live and explained to them what the Government, including the Labour Department and Social Welfare Department, could do to assist.
He said, "The Government is very concerned about the homeless people. The Integrated Family Service Centres and Integrated Services Centres of the Social Welfare Department and Non-governmental Organisations provide outreach, counselling, financial and accommodation assistance, referral for treatment and other support services to street sleepers."
He encouraged the homeless to seek help and tackle whatever problems they might have in order to re-integrate into the community.
Accompanied by frontline social workers, Mr Cheung also talked to some homeless on the streets nearby and distributed gift packs to them. He then went to Tsim Sha Tsui to visit street-sleepers in the vicinity of the Cultural Centre.
Ends/Friday, January 16, 2009
Issued at HKT 21:30
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