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Deputy Director, Mr Lee Lap-sun, said HAD was also serving the community in a concrete manner by vigorously carrying out projects under the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS).
"Fifty-one projects costing $131 million are now under construction and more will be done next year," he added.
Following the Governor's policy address in October last year, HAD has taken up the new task of monitoring and assessing services for new arrivals from China.
Deputy Director, Miss Sandra Lee, explained: "Our aim is to assist the new arrivals to integrate into the local community smoothly and as quickly as possible, and to ensure that they are aware of the support services which are available to them.
"To this end, the Director of Home Affairs personally chairs a Steering Committee which comprises representatives of government departments which provide dedicated services to new arrivals. Representatives from voluntary agencies and other departments which provide general services are also invited to participate as necessary. There are also similar set-up in each of the 18 Districts to complement the work of the steering committee."
To establish a means to communicate with the new arrivals and to identify the residing districts in which they live, HAD has arranged with the Immigration Department to invite new arrivals to fill in a simple survey form when they apply for their identity cards seven days after landing in Hong Kong. They are invited to supply information on their age, as well as those of their children; the dialects they speak; and their addresses and telephone numbers.
In conclusion, Mrs Lau stressed that the year 1995 had been an exciting foundation year for the department, and she and her colleagues looked forward to the community's support in implementing the new initiatives in 1996.
She gave credit to staff of the 18 district offices, Office of the Licensing Authority and the RPIS team for their hard work in the past year.
She thanked all community organisations and members of the public in particular for their understanding and support for HAD in forging ahead with its new initiatives.
"I am fully confident that my colleagues will continue to discharge all their duties with dedication and enthusiasm," Mrs Lau stressed.
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