XN000022-1976-10-27 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1976

HE ATTRIBUTED THE SUCCESSES SCORED BY THE UMELCO TO THE THREE RIGHTS GRANTED TO THE MEMBERS BY THE GOVERNOR THE RIGHT TO

INFORMATION, THE RIGHT OF ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT OFFICERS AND THE RIGHT TO CHALLENGE THE ACTION TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION.

DESPITE THE RATHER SATISFACTORY RATE OF GROWTH AND SUCCESSFUL CASES ATTAINED, DR. CHUNG SAID, THE UMELCO COMPLAINTS SYSTEM AT PRESENT WAS NOT WITHOUT SOME PROBLEMS.

+ THE FINDING OF INFORMATION AND FACTS BY UMELCO OFFICERS WITH THE AID OF THE DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED IS MANPOWER CONSUMING ESPECIALLY IN THESE CASES WHEN THE TIME FACTOR IS IMPORTANT,+ DR. CHUNG SAID.

HE SAID THAT +AT PRESENT THE ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE UMELCO COMPLAINTS SECTION IS VERY TIGHT AND EACH OFFICER, ON THE AVERAGE, HAS TO HANDLE ABOUT 300 CASES, SIMPLE AND COMPLICATED, A YEAR. WE NEED NOT ONLY MORE STAFF BÚT GREATER NUMBER OF HIGH-CAL I BRE STAFF.+

HOWEVER, DR. CHUNG EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FINANCIAL AS THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN VERY SYMPATHETIC AND GENEROUS BUT WERE IN DIFFICULTY OVER THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF STAFF.

SECONDLY, HE SAID, WAS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE REGARDING THE DOCTRINE OF SUB-JUDICE,

+THE UMELCO OFFICE USUALLY ACTS ON COMPLAINTS WITH SOME SPEED. HOWEVER, IF A COMPLAINT IS PRESENTED TO UMELCO AND PROCEEDINGS ARE TAKEN AGAINST THE COMPLAINANT IN COURT ON THE SAME OR A CLOSELY RELATED MATTER, UMELCO CANNOT CONTINUE TO PROCESS THE MATTER UNDER COMPLAINT UNTIL THE COURT PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN FINISHED OR ABANDONED, + HE SAID.

HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH HE WAS SYMPATHETIC WITH THE COMPLAINANTS WHO WERE UPSET BY THE DELAY, IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR UMELCO OR ANY COMPLAINT SYSTEM TO OPERATE IN ANY OTHER WAY.

+WE MUST NOT BE SEEN TO BE ACTING IN CONFLICT WITH THE COURTS, HE STATED.

HOWEVER, DR. CHUNG SAID THE UMELCO COMPLAINTS SYSTEM WAS WITHOUT DOUBT EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO AIR THEIR GRIEVANCES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION.

REFERRING TO THE NEED FOR SETTING UP A BRANCH OFFICE IN KOWLOON, DR. CHUNG SAID THAT IT IS A MATTER WHICH NEEDS FURTHER CONSIDERATION. +

HE EXPLAINED: +GEOGRAPHICALLY AND FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SERVICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC LIVING IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, THERE IS A STRONG CASE FOR AN UMELCO OFFICE IN KOWLOON TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMPLAINTS.+

/+ON THE