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THESE PEOPLE WAS ANTICIPATED TO CONSTITUTE SOME 90 PER CENT OF THE 8,000 CASES. OVERPAYMENT TO THEM WOULD CONTINUE IF NO ACTION WAS TAKEN.
THE TRAICES MATCHING IS TO DETECT THROUGH COMPUTER RECORDS ABSENCE OF OLD AGE ALLOWANCE RECIPIENTS FROM HONG KONG AND TO IDENTIFY CASES WHO HAVE BEEN OVERPAID AS A RESULT OF HAVING LEFT THE TERRITORY FOR OVER 90 DAYS IN ONE YEAR.
THE SOME 500 WELFARE ASSISTANTS GRADE STAFF CONTACT (BY PHONE OR BY MAIL), IN A WEEK'S TIME, SOME ALLOWANCE RECIPIENTS WHO, ACCORDING TO THE MATCHING
WERE ASKED TO 8,000 OLD AGE OF IMMIGRATION
DEPARTMENT'S MOVEMENT RECORDS IN SEPTEMBER 90. HAVE EXTENSIVE
ABSENCE PERIODS FROM HONG KONG AND HAVE NOT RETURNED TO THE TERRITORY.
IT WAS THEREFORE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S STAFF SHOULD PROCESS THESE CASES, WHICH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR DUTIES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID A SERIES OF SIMPLIFICATION PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS TO ACHIEVE STAFF SAVING IN COPING WITH THE ADDITIONAL WORK.
THESE INCLUDED PAYMENT EXTENSION OF OLD AGE ALLOWANCE WITHOUT CASE REVIEWS AND EXTENSION OF THE REVIEW CYCLES FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES, SUCH AS STABLE
CASES, SINGLETONS AND SIMPLE FAMILY CASES.
ABOUT A HUNDRED STAFF COULD THUS BE RELEASED TO DEAL WITH WORK RELATED TO TRAICES CASES.
THE
PRIORITY,
SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT SUCH WORK MUST BB ACCORDED
"STAFF OF THE GRADE WILL BE ADVISED AGAIN THAT то RESUME PROCESSING ALL THE TRAICES CASES IS PART OF THE NORMAL DUTIES OF THE WELFARE ASSISTANTS GRADE. ANY ATTEMPT BY THE STAFF TO DELAY THE WORK WOULD INCUR A SERIOUS LOSS OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND WOULD NOT BE IN KEEPING WITH THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS PUBLIC SERVANTS. THE MANAGEMENT WILL TAKE A SERIOUS VIEW OF ANY SUCH ACTIONS, THR SPOKESMAN SAID.
**
THE STAFF SIDE WAS ALSO ASSURED THAT THE MANAGEMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO HOLD DIALOGUES WITH THEM IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THE MANPOWER ISSUE.
MEANWHILE, THE MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS STILL STUDYING THE FINANCE BRANCH'S REVISED MANNING SCALE REPORT. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT A DECISION WOULD BE MADE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
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