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THURSDAY, JULY 13, 1989
TRACING THE HISTORY OF THE SCHEME, MR LAN SAID IT WAS LAUNCHED BY THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT BOARD AND HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO 17 OTHER DISTRICTS BY MID-1933. THE KWAI TSING DISTRICT BOARD STARTLD "MEET-THE-PUBLIC" SCHEME AS SOON AS IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN APRIL 1985
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UNDER THE SCHEME, HE CONTINUED, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ComD EITHER RING UP A DISTRICT BOARD'S SECRETARIAT OR GO TO A DISTRICT OFFICE IN PERSON TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DB MEMBER.
BACH DISTRICT OFFICE MAINTAINED A DUTY ROSTER FOR DB MEMBERS, BOTH ELECTED AND APPOINTED, TO ENABLE RESIDENTS TO FIND OUT WHEN AND WHERE THE MEETING SESSIONS WERE HELD, AND WHEN A PARTICULAR DB METIBLR WOULD BE ON DUTY TO MEET THEM.
"THE TIME-TABLE AND THE MEETING VENUES ARE PUBLICISHED ON THE NOTICE BOARDS OF ALL DISTRICT OFFICES AND PUBLISHED IN THE DISTRICT NEWSPAPERS.
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TERRITORY-WIDE PUBLICITY OF THE SCHEME IS ARRANGED BY THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH ANNOUNCEMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST (API) ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, WHILE PUBLICITY LEAFLETS ARE ALSO DISTRIBUTED FREE AT DISTRICT OFFICES AND THEIR SUB-OFFICES," MR LAN SAID.
DURING THE MEETING SESSIONS, DB MEMBERS WERE ASSISTED BY DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF WHO PROVIDED SECRETARIAL SUPPORT.
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"I THE MATTER RAISED IS A STRAIGHT-FORWARD ONE, THE DB MEMBER WILL DEAL WITH IT ON THE SPOT. IF IT IS A MORE COMPLICATED ONE, HE MAY ASK THE DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF TO RESEARCH FOR AN ANSWER OR REFER THE MATTER TO RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR ORGANISATIONS FOR ADVICE OR FOLLOW UP ACTION," HE SAID.
"IN SOME CASES, FURTHER INVESTIGATION MAY BE NECESSARY AND FOLLOW UP ACTION WILL BE TAKEN BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE.'
SUCH
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MR LAN SAID A CALLER MIGHT MAKE SUGGESTIONS ON GENERAL
ISSUES,
AS EDUCATION, HOUSING, BUILDING MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPROVEMENT, HAWKERS AND MARKETS OR TRAFFIC MATTERS,
IN APPROPRIATE CASES, THE SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE DISTRICT BOARD OR ONE OP ITS COMMITTEES FOR DISCUSSION, AND THE CALLER WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE RESULTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
"IF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS FIND A CERTAIN POLICY UNREASONABLE OR REQUIRES CHANGE, THEY WILL REFLECT RESIDENTS' VIEWS ON IT TO THE GOVERNMENT,' HE NOTED.
CONJUNCTION
REVIEW
IN CONCLUSION, MR LAN SAID THE DISTRICT BOARDS, IN WITH DISTRICT OFFICES, WERE KEEPING THE SCHEME UNDER CONSTANT SO AS TO IDENTIFY AREAS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
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