7
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1977
SPECIAL TEAM SET UP TO DEAL WITH LANDSLIDE CLAIMS
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A SPECIAL TEAM FROM THE HOME AFFAIRS AND LEGAL AID DEPARTMENTS HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE KWUN TONG CITY DISTRICT OFFICE TO HELP ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE CLAIMS FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE IN THE 1972 OR 1976 SAU MAU PING LANDSLIDES.
FREE LEGAL AID WILL BE GIVEN TO CLAIMANTS TO HELP THEM PRESENT THEIR CASES, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME.
THE TEAM, COMPRISING ONE SENIOR LEGAL AID OFFICER, TWO LAW CLERKS AND FOUR STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE (KWUN TONG) WAS FORMED FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF THE LANDSLIDE REPORTS YESTERDAY.
THE TEAM ALREADY HAD A BUSY MORNING TODAY AND WITHIN THE FIRST TWO HOURS OF ITS OPERATION 15 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED. BY 5
THERE WERE 34 APPLICATIONS.
P.M.,
MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE CITY DISTRICT OFFICE TOMORROW (SATURDAY) MORNING, NEXT MONDAY, AND IF REQUIRED THE DAY FOLLOWING TO RECEIVE APPLICATIONS.
CLAIMANTS, IF THEY PREFER, MAY ALSO GO DIRECTLY TO THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT IN SINCERE BUILDING ON HONG KONG ISLAND ANY TIME DURING NORMAL HOURS TO OBTAIN FREE LEGAL ADVICE.
TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF APPLICANTS, APPLICATION PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN SIMPLIFIED. TIME WILL BE ALLOWED FOR APPLICANTS TO GATHER EVIDENCE TO SUBSTANTIATE THEIR CLAIMS.
INITIALLY APPLICANTS ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES, LEAVE THEIR ADDRESS, AND INDICATE THE IR CLAIM. AN INTERVIEW AT A CONVENIENT TIME WILL BE ARRANGED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS FOR THEM TO PRESENT THE IR CASE. THE INTERVIEW WILL BE HELD AT THE KWUN TONG CDO IN ORDER TO MINIMISE ANY INCONVENIENCE TO APPLICANTS, MOST OF WHOM LIVE IN THE NEARBY SAU MAU PING AREA,
MEANWHILE, THE CDO HAS SENT OUT LIAISON OFFICERS TO CONTACT FAMILIES OR CLOSE RELATIVES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWN TO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS OR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF THE 1972 AND 1976 LANDSLIDES.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO PUBLICITY THROUGH THE NEWS MEDIA ADVISING THEM OF THE ARRANGEMENTS TO MAKE CLAIMS AND THE FREE LEGAL AID AVAILABLE.
THE GOVERNMENT SAID IN A STATEMENT YESTERDAY THAT IT WAS PREPARED TO SETTLE CLAIMS FOR EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION IN RESPECT OF THE TWO LANDSLIDES AND TO PAY THE LEGAL COSTS OF VICTIMS IN THE PREPARATION OF CLAIMS.
/THE AMOUNT