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The following is the speech delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Older Persons 1999 today (Saturday):

Mr TAM, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to be invited by the Elderly Commission to officiate at the Opening Ceremony of the International Year of Older Persons 1999. I am particularly delighted to enjoy the company of over two thousand elderly people on this special occasion.

The elderly today were indeed the pillars of Hong Kong between the fifties and the seventies. They have made great contribution to both their family and the community. The success of Hong Kong today is attributed to the hard work of the elderly over the years. The elderly therefore deserve our respect and we have the responsibility to look after them. Since the establishment of the Government of the Special Administrative Region in 1997, caring for the elderly has been one of our key policy objectives and a considerable amount of resources has been spent to help the elderly to enjoy a sense of security, a sense of belonging, good health and a feeling of personal worth.

The population of Hong Kong is ageing. According to the 1996 Population By-census, the population aged 65 and above numbered 630,000 in that year. In 1998, this age group rose to 700,000. By 2016, the population of this age group will have grown to 1,090,000, that is 13% of the whole population. Therefore, we must have long term planning for the development of a fair and proper programme for the care of the elderly.

Since its inception, the Elderly Commission has put forward much valuable opinions on the policies and services for the elderly. It has also completed an assessment on the elderly's demand for housing and residential care services and worked out a set of strategies to cater for the needs of the elderly in the long term. The year 1999 is declared the "International Year of Older Persons" by the United Nations. In response, the Elderly Commission has set up a Central Coordinating Committee to coordinate the relevant activities to be held in Hong Kong. With the support of relevant government departments, social service agencies and local organizations, the Central Coordinating Committee has rallied great strength from various sectors of the community for the organization of over 700 activities to fulfil the goal of working "Towards a Society for All Ages". I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the Committee members as well as organizations and personnel that have taken part in the preparation work and wish all events great success.

It is the responsibility of each family to take care of their senior members. We must respect and care for the elderly of other families as we respect and care for those in our own family, and see to it that such fine tradition is carried forward throughout the community. I would like to take this opportunity to call upon each and every one of you to take good care of the elderly and encourage them to play a more active part in community activities. I am sure that they can continue to contribute to our society, and lead a more meaningful and colourful life. In conclusion, may I wish everyone of you a happy and healthy New Year.

Thank you.

End/Saturday, January 23, 1999

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