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Speech by SLW during a visit to Benji's Centre (English only)
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     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, during a visit to Benji's Centre today (December 6):

Mr Raymond Wong, Mrs Viola Wong (Founders of Benji's Centre), Your Majesty (the Queen of the Belgians, Her Majesty Queen Mathilde), Minister Reynders (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs of Belgium, Mr Didier Reynders), Consul General (Consul General of Belgium to Hong Kong and Macau, Mr Evert Marechal), ladies, gentlemen and young children of the Benji's Centre,

     Good morning.

     I am deeply honoured to join Your Majesty here at Benji's Centre and to meet Raymond and Viola, the founders of the Centre.

     Nine years ago, Raymond and Viola set up Benji's Centre. This Centre is a charitable organisation providing specialised one-on-one speech therapy for children and teenagers from low-income families with special needs in speech and language training. It also provides training for the parents concerned to nurture and educate their children. Since its establishment, the Centre has served around 1 700 children. Among them, 70 per cent enjoyed fee remission, with the majority given full remission, while the remaining 30 per cent have paid less than half of the tuition fees charged by the private sector.

     From the Centre's website, I have read touching letters written by parents whose children suffered from communications difficulties. These once-worried parents were very grateful for the hope that the Centre brought to their lives by making it possible for their children to reach out and start communicating with the outside world.

     The success story of the Benji's Centre symbolises how the compassion of one great couple helps transform the lives of many. The same story also testifies to the success and importance of tripartite partnership in Hong Kong in advancing worthy social causes.

     While a major source of funding of the Centre comes from a social enterprise that sells delicious, nutritious and popular Belgian chocolates and serves French and Japanese cuisine, a significant part of the funding support has also been provided by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged (the Fund). So far the Centre has received well over 4 million Hong Kong dollars from the Fund. The Fund was set up in 2005 to promote tripartite partnership and enhance social cohesion.

     It is our policy objective to provide children (from birth to 6 years old) with disabilities or at risk of becoming disabled with early intervention services to enhance their physical, psychological and social developments, thereby improving their opportunities for participating in ordinary schools and daily life activities, and helping their families meet their special needs.

     Improving people's livelihood and well-being rank high on the Hong Kong Government's agenda. In the current financial year, the estimated recurrent expenditure in social welfare, education and medical services - the three main livelihood areas - will amount to HK$170 billion, or 60 per cent of recurrent government expenditure. This represents an increase of 50 per cent or HK$55.1 billion over the provision in 2007-2008.

     I understand that Your Majesty is an expert in speech therapy. I am sure that Your Majesty will agree that Benji's Centre is a shining example of tripartite partnership that warms the hearts of needy children and parents alike.

     While the operation of Benji's Centre is linked to the sales of splendid Belgian chocolates, I believe that the special connections that this place helps build go well beyond chocolate.

     May I wish Benji's Centre every success in fulfilling its noble mission. I also wish Your Majesty a pleasant and memorable visit to Hong Kong.

Ends/Friday, December 6, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:52

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