SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1979
IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT BETTER GEARED TO ANSWER
ENQUIRIES AND REQUESTS
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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE EVEN BETTER AND QUICKER SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC WITH THE OPENING OF A NEW ENQUIRIES OFFICE ON MONDAY (DECEMBER 17).
THE OFFICE, ON THE 11TH FLOOR OF INTERNATIONAL BUILDING, 141 DES VOEUX ROAD CENTRAL, WILL REPLACE THE OLD ONE ON THE 15TH FLOOR.
THE MAIN FEATURE IS AN EXTENDED TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES SERVICE MANNED BY A DOZEN EXPERIENCED OFFICERS IN SPECIALLY DESIGNED BOOTHS.
BESIDES HANDLING ENQUIRIES, THE OFFICE WILL OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING DISTRIBUTION OF FORMS, GIVING ADVICE ON HOW TO FILL THEM, AND ATTESTING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS.
A SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ENQUIRIES SECTION WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN OVER THE YEARS INCREASINGLY HARD PRESSED BY THE WORKLOAD WHICH GREW NOT ONLY IN QUANTITY BUT ALSO IN COMPLEXITY.
*IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, THE SECTION DEALT WITH SOME
1 325 000 ENQUIRIES AND REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC, EITHER IN PERSON, BY POST OR BY TELEPHONE, HE SAID.
THE MOST POPULAR METHOD OF MAKING ENQUIRY OR REQUEST WAS BY TELEPHONE, BUT WITH ONLY FOUR DIRECT LINES AVAILABLE, THE SERVICE BECAME INADEQUATE AND FAR FROM SATISFACTORY TO THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY DURING PEAK HOURS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID STATISTICS SHOWED THAT DEMAND FOR SERVICE MULTIPLIED MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, AND A RECENT SURVEY INDICATED THAT A CALLER HAD TO WAIT AN AVERAGE OF FOUR MINUTES BEFORE HIS CALL COULD BE CONNECTED THROUGH.
+WITH AN EXPANDED TELEPHONE ENQUIRY UNIT IN THE NEW OFFICE, WHICH CAN COPE WITH 10 CALLS AT ANY ONE TIME, THIS WAITING TIME WILL BE GREATLY REDUCED, HE NOTED.
HE SUGGESTED TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAKE MAXIMUM USE OF THE TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES SERVICE INSTEAD OF CALLING AT THE OFFICE IN PERSON TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS, SO AS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY INCONVENIENCE.
A +DIAL-A-FORM+ SERVICE IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO OBTAIN ANY APPLICATION FORM THROUGH THE POST SIMPLY BY MAKING A TELEPHONE CALL, HE ADDED.
THEY ARE ALSO ADVISED TO AVOID PEAK HOURS AND MAKE MORE USE OF THE SERVICE DURING SLACK PERIODS, FROM 8.45 AM TO 10 AM AND FROM 4.15 PM TO 5.15 PM.
THE NEW OFFICE IS OPEN FROM 8.45 AM TO 5.15 PM ON
WEEKDAYS AND FROM 9 AM TO NOON ON SATURDAYS.
THE NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR ENQUIRIES AND REQUESTS IS 5-434711.
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