XN000022-1977-04-20 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1977

S.W.D. PLANS TO SET UP REGIONAL OFFICES UNDER CONSIDERATION ****

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT PLANS TO REVIEW ITS SERVICES WITH THE AIM OF SETTING UP REGIONAL OFFICES EACH DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH A WIDER RANGE OF NEEDS.

THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, WHO DISCLOSED THIS DURING THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, SAID THAT PRELIMINARY PROPOSALS FOR SUCH REGIONALISATION WERE BEING CONSIDERED IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PRESENT LARGE NUMBER OF BRANCH OFFICES IN HIS DEPARTMENT WAS TO A GREAT EXTENT A LEGACY OF THE VERY RAPID EXPANSION WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAD EXPERIENCED SINCE 1970.

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+AS WE HAVE DEVELOPED SO QUICKLY, THE DEMAND FOR OFFICE SPACE TO ADMINISTER OUR NEW SCHEMES HAS OUTSTRIPPED OUR ABILITY TO PLAN FOR AND OBTAIN SUFFICIENTLY LARGE OFFICES TO ACCOMMODATE SEVERAL SERVICES, HE SAID.

MR. LEE ADDED THAT THE EXPANSION HAD ALSO LED TO STRAINS IN SUPERVISING SO MANY SCATTERED OUTPOSTS AND HE FEFT THE TIME HAD COME TO UNDERTAKE A THOROUGH REVIEW.

HE HOPED THAT BEFORE LONG, THE DEPARTMENT COULD BE REORGANISED TO PROVIDE A SERVICE +DESIGNED TO SERVE OUR CLIENTS RATHER THAN THE EXPEDIENCIES OF THE MOMENT AND TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE BEWILDERMENT WITH WHICH PEOPLE IN TROUBLE APPROACH US.+

ON THE QUESTION OF PROCESSING APPLICATIONS FOR SUBVENTIONS, THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE HAD RECENTLY HELD A TWO-DAY SEMINAR ON THE SUBJECT TO STUDY HOW BEST TO RELIEVE THE LOAD ON ALL WHO HAD TO EXAMINE REQUESTS FOR SUBVENTION AND TO BRING ABOUT MORE SECURITY FOR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO PLAN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

+1 AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND I AM SURE THAT THEIR PROPOSALS ON RATIONALIZATION AND SIMPLIFYING PROCEDURES WILL RECEIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE,+ HE SAID.

.TO BE BORNE IN MIND IN THIS REVIEW, HE SAID, WOULD BE THE SUGGESTION BY THE HON. ROGER LOBO TO IMPROVE THE WAY IN WHICH THE DEPARTMENT DEALT WITH SUBVENTIONS.

MOREOVER, HE SAID THAT DECENTRALISED ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD ALLOW HIS OFFICERS TO GET INTO CLOSER AND MORE EFFECTIVE LIAISON WITH THE MANY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES OPERATING IN THE FIELD.

/REFERRING