Transcript of remarks by SLW on reprovisioning of welfare facilities under Kwun Tong comprehensive development project

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, on reprovisioning of welfare facilities as a result of Kwun Tong comprehensive development project after attending a radio programme this morning (October 20):

Reporter: Secretary, one English question. What sort of criteria will you be looking for in the relocation so that it would not cause any hassle to students who will be relocating to that area, no matter when it comes to facilities around the relocation and the transport connection?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: No one currently enrolled in Shine Skills Centre (Kwun Tong) (of the Vocational Training Council) will be relocated. They will all graduate from Shine Skills Centre (Kwun Tong). The only cohort of trainees that may be affected will be those trainees entering training in 2020, two years later. But then, we hope that the new service provider (of the new integrated vocational training centre) will be in place by 2020, so they would be able to communicate with the potential students, the trainees and their parents when they are considering what kind of service their children would enter after their graduation from special schools. So that they can choose among all the different types of vocational, employment support or skills training programmes available in the community.

     We will be providing more information. In fact, we have already been doing it all the time because there are so many different types of services available for graduates of special schools. We have been providing this kind of information to them already. I expect the special schools' principals, teachers and social workers know how to support their students. In the future, I think the support will be even stronger.

Reporter: How about the location?

Secretary for Labour and Welfare: The location (of the new integrated vocational training centre) will be convenient and probably more convenient to most potential students. Thank you very much.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)