14
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1985
THE JOB APPEALED TO ME FROM THE BEGINNING, HE SAID. IT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, AND I HAVE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EVERYBODY'S JOB TO HANDLE ALL THE QUERIES FROM THE PUBLIC.+
+BESIDES, LISTENING TO COMPLAINTS IS NOT AS TEDIOUS AS SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK. YOU GET AN AWFUL LOT OF SATISFACTION WHEN YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING RIGHT, WHICH WE OFTEN CAN,+
MIKE'S TENACITY IN FINDING ANSWERS TO COMPLAINTS, EVEN AFTER MANY MONTHS, HAS WON HIM MANY FRIENDS AMONG THE PUBLIC.
+BUT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WHO WON'T TALK TO ME, + HE ADMITS.
+BUT THEY ARE VERY MUCH THE EXCEPTION. MOSTLY I GET NOTHING BUT CO-OPERATION FROM THE OFFICIALS INVOLVED WHO ARE VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.+
IT WAS THROUGH THAT NEED TO BE RESPONSIVE THAT THE POST WAS CREATED IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND FROM THE FIRST THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CAPABLE MAN IN THE JOB.
MIKE WAS NOT THE ONLY MAN FOUR YEARS AGO +MAD+ ENOUGH TO TAKE ON THE JOB. A SHORT LIST OF 10 APPLICANTS WAS DRAWN UP AND THIS WAS NARROWED DOWN TO FOUR AFTER EXTENSIVE INTERVIEWS,
MIKE RECALLS: THE FOUR OF US WERE GIVEN A FICTITIOUS COMPLAINT FROM THE PUBLIC. WE HAD TO FOLLOW IT UP, DEAL WITH IT AND THEN GIVE AN ANSWER OVER A MOCK UP RADIO PROGRAMME.+
SINCE THEN THE COMPLAINTS MIKE HAS HANDLED HAVE BEEN ANY THING BUT FICTITIOUS. THEY HAVE RANGED FROM REASONABLE REQUESTS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT NOISE POLLUTION OR TRAFFIC CROSSINGS TO PEOPLE RAVING AT MIKE DOWN THE TELEPHONE. ALL OF THEM ARE GREETED WITH MIKE'S AIR OF CHEERFUL EFFICIENCY.
+
+I TAKE VERY LITTLE NOTICE OF THE RANTERS AND RAVERS, SAID MIKE. +THERE ARE SO FEW OF THEM AND I'M ONLY THE CHAP DEALING WITH THE COMPLAINT. I DIDN'T CAUSE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.+
+AFTER ALL, IF YOU HAVE AN ARGUMENT WITH AN AIRLINE IT'S NO USE GOING AND PUNCHING THE STEWARDESS ON THE NOSE, IS IT?+
BUT RANTERS AND RAVERS ASIDE, MIKE HAS HAD HIS HANDS FULL DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS ON ALL MANNER OF SUBJECTS. NOISE FROM CONSTRUCTION SITES IS A FAVOURITE TOPIC. ANOTHER IS ROAD EXCAVATIONS.
MIKE SAID: +WE HAVE MORE THAN 2 000 ROAD OPENINGS A MONTH FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND YOU USUALLY GET SOMEONE RINGING UP ASKING WHY THE ROAD IS BEING DUG UP.+
OTHER COMPLAINTS