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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1984
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CENTRES THAT SERVE AS WALKING ENCYCLOPEDIAS'
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ARMED WITH VOLUMES OF MANUALS ON ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, STAFF OF THE 63 PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRES (PESC'S) SPREAD THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ARE ABLE TO ANSWER ENQUIRIES ON A WIDE RANGE OF MATTERS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION TODAY (SUNDAY) DESCRIBED THE STAFF AS +WALKING ENCYCLOPEDIAS+.
+SUBJECTS MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED ARE ABOUT JOB VACANCIES, APPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING, FORMS ISSUED BY DEPARTMENTS AND PROBLEMS ON RATES AND MATTERS RELATED TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, + HE SAID.
SINCE THEN THIS SERVICE +THE FIRST PESC WAS SET UP IN 1961. HAS EXPANDED STEADILY IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC DEMAND, PARTICULARLY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME IN RECENT YEARS, + HE EXPLAINED.
IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE CENTRES HANDLED MORE THAN 3.25 MILLION CASES AND ENQUIRIES AND DISTRIBUTED 4.81 MILLION FORMS.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT FORMS AND PAMPHLETS FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE CENTRES.
+THOSE IN GREAT DEMAND ARE APPLICATION FORMS FOR GOVERNMENT JOB VACANCIES, HOME OWNERSHIP, PUBLIC HOUSING, PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS, ENTRIES FOR THE WALK FOR A MILLION, AND RECENTLY, THE WHITE PAPER ON THE SINO-BRITISH DRAFT AGREEMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+IN DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC, WE DO ALL WE CAN TO ANSWER THE IR QUESTIONS PROMPTLY, BUT IN CASES WHERE THE INFORMATION IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE WE CALL UP THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED TO GET ALL THE DETAILS, HE ADDED.
+ IN THEIR DAILY CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC, STAFF OF THE CENTRES HAVE TO BE PATIENT, POLITE, INFORMATIVE AND READY TO HELP, HE SAID.
+AS THEY DEAL WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, THE STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND PERIODICAL TRAINING AND ORIENTATION PROGRAMMES. WHEN NEW GOVERNMENT SERVICES OR NEW PROCEDURES ARE INTRODUCED, ALL CENTRES ARE IMMEDIATELY INFORMED TO ENSURE THAT REFERENCE MATERIALS ARE KEPT UP-TO-DATE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
DURING TYPHOONS AND HEAVY RAINSTORMS, THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY SECTION OF THE CNTA OPERATES A 24-HOUR TELEPHONE ENQUIRY SERVICE (3-692255), ANSWERING AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 600 CALLS A DAY.
ANOTHER POPULAR SERVICE IS STATUTORY DECLARATION ADMINISTERED
IN THE FIRST BY APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS OF OATHS AT EACH CENTRE. EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, MORE THAN 280 000 DECLARATIONS WERE MADE.
/OTHER SERVICES