SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 1989
་ 2
DR REED HOPED THAT WHEN DISCUSSIONS START ON
THESE TWO WHITE PAPER POLICIES, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO GET AWAY FROM FOCUSING ON CRUDE OR GROSS COSTS TO INDUSTRY, AND LOOK AT THE MATTER ON A MUCH BROADER ECONOMIC BASIS AND FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE OVERALL COMMUNITY INTEREST.
THE INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL EXHIBITION WILL BE HELD IN ATRIUM PLAZA (NEAR MUSIC FOUNTAIN) NEW TOWN PLAZA, SHA TIN FROM TODAY TO JUNE 20.
THE EXHIBITION WILL THEN BE MOVED TO THE WEST BRIDGE OF THE LANDMARK, CENTRAL, FOR PUBLIC VIEWING BETWEEN JUNE 21 AND 23.
SWD HOTLINE SERVICE WELL PATRONISED
* *
THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S HOTLINE TELEPHONE
A BUSY YEAR IN 1988.
SERVICE HAD
SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1980, THE SERVICE HAS HANDLED 144,000 PUBLIC TELEPHONE ENQUIRIES, OR AN AVERAGE OF 16,000 CALLS PER YEAR.
ENQUIRIES RECEIVED IN 1987 TOTALLED 11,400, AND INCREASED TO 13.000 LAST YEAR.
A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN ATTRIBUTED THE INCREASE TO NEW SERVICES INTRODUCED LAST YEAR.
HE EXPECTED THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD MAKE USE OF THE HOTLINE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION AS MORE NEW SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE INTRODUCED.
INITIALLY, THE HOTLINE WAS RUN BY A SINGLE STAFF MEMBER DURING OFFICE HOURS. FUTHER STAFF WERE DEPLOYED LATER.
AT PRESENT, THE HOTLINE SERVICE IS MANNED BY FOUR SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANTS ON ROTATION FROM 9 AM TO 10 PM FROM MONDAY TO SATURDAY AND FROM 1 PM TO 10 PM ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. AN AUTOMATIC RECORDING SYSTEM OPERATES OUTSIDE NORMAL WORKING HOURS.
AN ADDITIONAL TELEPHONE LINE WAS INSTALLED LAST WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND.
YEAR ΤΟ COPE
THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THE HOTLINE ARE ΤΟ ANSWER PUBLIC ENQUIRIES IN RELATION TO THE DEPARTMENT'S SERVICES, TO REFER CALLERS TO APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT OFFICES. OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR ASSISTANCE OR FOLLOW UP SERVICES, AND TO RENDER IMMEDIATE COUNSELLING WHEN NECESARY.
THE MAJORITY OF ENQUIRIES ARE CONCERNED INFORMATION ON DEPARTMENT SERVICES.
WITH GENERAL
/PROBLEMS DEALT