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MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1975
AWARD FOR MONEY AND TIME SAVING SUGGESTION
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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. MORRIS MORGAN, WILL PRESENT A CHEQUE FOR $500 TOMORROW (TUESDAY) TO MISS LUK YIU-CHEUNG, AN ASSISTANT SOCIAL WELFARE OFFICER IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, AS AN AWARD FOR A SUGGESTION WHICH WILL MEAN THE GOVERNMENT MAKING A SUBSTANTIAL SAVING IN TIME AND MONEY.
THE AWARD HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S STAFF SUGGESTIONS COMMITTEE AND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER MADE.
LAST NOVEMBER MISS LUK, WHO WAS THEN DEPUTY SUPERVISOR OF THE DEPARTMENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNIT IN TAI PO, SUGGESTED THAT PAYMENTS OF THE DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES (DIA) BE MADE TO RECIPIENTS THROUGH BANKS TO REPLACE PAYMENTS THROUGH CASH ORDER BOOKS AT POST OFFICES.
FOLLOWING DISCUSSION WITH THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORPORATION, HER SUGGESTION WAS IMPLEMENTED IN JULY THIS YEAR THROUGH THE AUTO-PAY SYSTEM AND SO FAR MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE NEARLY 63,000 PEOPLE RECEIVING THE ALLOWANCES ARE BEING PAID THROUGH BANKS.
+ IN TERMS OF PRINTING 60STS ALONE, MISS LUK'S SUGGESTION MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE A SAVING OF AT LEAST $200,000 A YEAR. OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO QUITE A SUBSTANTIAL SUM.. APART FROM THIS, IT IS HELPING TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON STAFF OF OUR PAYMENTS CONTROL SECTION AS WELL AS ON STAFF AT POST OFFICES WHERE THESE PEOPLE FORMERLY RECEIVED THEIR MONEY, A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE BENEFITS WERE NOT ONLY ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE BECAUSE RECIPIENTS WERE FINDING IT MORE CONVENIENT TO GET THEIR MONEY FROM BANKS NEAREST THEIR HOMES. THIS MEANT THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO LINE UP AT POST OFFICES AND ALSO SAVED TIME ON TRAVELLING.
+ THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN FAVOURABLY RECEIVED BY OUR CLIENTS AND MORE OF THEM ARE WANTING TO MAKE THE CHANGE. PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL, WILL DO SO.+
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NOTE TO EDITORS: YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE PRESENTATION WHICH
WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE S.W.D., LEE GARDENS, HYSAN AVENUE, 4TH FLOOR, HONG KONG, AT 12 NOON TOMORROW (DECEMBER 2).
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