NOVEMBER 1, 1986
VISIONS OF PROGRESS AT THE CHECKPOINT
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THOSE EARLY DAYS IN THE NEW DEPARTMENT ARE STILL VIVID IN THE MIND OF MR LEE CHUN-KWOK EACH WORKING DAY BEGAN WITH HIM CLIMBING ONTO HIS HIGH CHAIR BEHIND A SIMILARLY HIGH DESK AND CHECKING THE FLOW OF HUMAN TRAFFIC BELOW.
FROM THIS PERCH HE FELT THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS JOB AS HE SURVEYED THE MOVING SEA OF FACES - AT TIMES ONLY A TRICKLE. BUT MORE OFTEN LIKE A GUSHING TORRENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN A FEW PLANES DISGORGED THEIR CARGOES OF WEARY, IMPATIENT PASSENGERS.
TODAY, CHIEF IMMIGRATION OFFICER LEE'S MEMORY OF KAI TAK AIRPORT IN 1961 ARE STILL CLEAR, BEING HIS FIRST JOB WITH THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAD JUST BEEN SET UP THE SAME YEAR.
+THERE WERE MORE THAN 1 500 ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES EVERY DAY, AND EVEN AT THE BUSIEST OF TIMES, THERE WERE ONLY SEVEN OF US ON DUTY,+ HE SAID.
+OUR JOB WAS TO KEEP A RECORD OF DEPARTING PASSENGERS AND TO CHECK THE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OF INCOMING PASSENGERS. AS THERE WERE NO OFFICERS FROM THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT STATIONED AT THE AIRPORT THEN, WE HAD ALSO TO REGISTER THE DECLARATIONS FOR ARMS, AMMUNITIONS AND EVEN ANIMALS.
+ IT WAS QUITE STRENUOUS AT TIMES. AS DELAYS WERE MORE FREQUENT FOR AIRPLANES IN THOSE DAYS, I REMEMBER ONE OCCASION WHEN THREE OF US HAD TO HANDLE PASSENGERS FROM FOUR PLANES THAT LANDED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
YET, MR LEE SAID, HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES DID NOT MIND THE EXTRA WORKLOAD. +WE ENJOYED THE RESPONSIBILITY GIVEN US AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXERCISE OUR JUDGEMENT AND INITIATIVE.+
THE PRESENT DAY AIRPORT IS OF COURSE FAR DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MR LEE HAD DESCRIBED. THERE ARE MORE THAN 26 000 PASSENGERS DAILY AND THE CHECKPOINT IS NOW MANNED BY OVER 400 IMMIGRATION SERVICE OFFICERS ROUND THE CLOCK.
THESE OFFICERS HAVE THE SAME THRUST OF INITIATIVE AND ENTHUSIASM FOR WORK, MAKING THE CHECKPOINT AT KAI TAK ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT AIRPORTS IN THE WORLD.
WITH THE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY THIS MONTH, MR LEE SAID ITS FUNCTIONS HAD DIVERSIFIED A GREAT DEAL FROM THOSE PIONEERING DAYS.
SET UP WITH THE AIM TO EXERCISE IMMIGRATION CONTROL AND TO ISSUE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, IT HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE THE REGISTRATION OF A PERSON'S BIRTH, MARRIAGE OR DEATH. THIS FOLLOWED THE AMALGAMATION OF THE DEPARTMENT WITH THE REGISTRATION OF PERSONS OFFICE IN 1977 AND THE BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGE OFFICE IN 1979.
/DURING THE