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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities after attending the opening ceremony of the Bliss District Elderly Community Centre today (February 22):
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The $2 Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme will be extended to all ferry services and also to New Lantao Bus services on Sunday, March 3. This will be a very important step forward in further promoting the concept of active ageing in Hong Kong. We really hope that more elderly citizens will take advantage of the $2 Scheme to get out into the community, particularly to participate more in community affairs, to visit their families, to widen their social network and in the process also take part more in voluntary work as well. So this is a very important initiative. Together with the modernisation of 237 elderly centres in Hong Kong by the allocation of $900 million from the Lottery Fund and also $110 million from Jockey Club, the two initiatives, in fact, will generate a very positive synergy effect in further promoting the concept of active ageing in Hong Kong in the long term.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, February 22, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:25
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