XN000022-1978-06-21 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978

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NO EXTRA STAFF FOR LATE-NIGHT OFFICE DUTY AT HOUSING ESTATES

* * * * * *

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DOES NOT AT PRESENT HAVE THE STAFF TO MAN ALL 88 HOUSING ESTATE OFFICES UNTIL 9 P.M. OR 10 P.M.. THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. DONALD LIAO, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY. NOR INDEED, HE INDICATED, WAS THERE A NEED TO DO SO.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, IT IS CONSIDERING EXTENDING THE OFFICE HOURS OF A FEW SELECTED ESTATES UNTIL 7.30 P.M., AFTER WHICH FURTHER ADJUSTMENT WOULD BE MADE IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED.

MR. LIAO WAS ANSWERING THE HON. KWAN KO SIU-WAH, WHO HAD ASKED WHETHER ESTATE OFFICES COULD BE MANNED UNTIL 9 OR 10 P.M. FOR HAWKER-CONTROL PURPOSES AND TO DEAL WITH INQUIRIES FROM TENANTS, MOST OF WHOM ARE AT WORK DURING THE DAY.

MR. LIAO SAID THAT NORMAL OFFICE HOURS ARE 9 A.M. - 5.30 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS AND 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. ON SATURDAYS, ALTHOUGH WHEN THERE WAS A PARTICULAR NEED, SUCH AS IN ESTATES AFFECTED BY REDEVELOPMENT, NEW INTAKES OF TENANTS OR EXTERNAL TRANSFERS, OFFICES ARE KEPT OPEN, EVEN OVER WEEKENDS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT CARETAKERS (NORMALLY ONE PER BLOCK) ARE ORGANISED IN SHIFTS TO ENSURE A 24-HOUR SERVICE TO ALL TENANTS,

+THIS SERVICE IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT SO THAT EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO LIFTS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT CAN BE ARRANGED THROUGH THE MAINTENANCE NETWORK, HE SAID.

+

ON HAWKERS, HE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM AROSE ONLY ON A SMALL NUMBER OF ESTATES, AND WHERE FEASIBLE ACTION HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO CONTROL OR CLEAR THEM.

+THE COMPLEXITIES OF HAWKER OPERATIONS ARE SUCH THAT AN EXTENSION OF OFFICE HOURS BY ESTATE STAFF WITHOUT OTHER RESOURCES WOULD NOT BE OF MUCH AVAIL, HE SAID.

CONCERNING ENQUIRIES FROM TENANTS, HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO INDICATION OF ANY NEED TO EXTEND OFFICE HOURS IN THE EVENINGS IN ALL OFFICES, AND MOST TENANTS MADE CONTACT IN PERSON, BY TELEPHONE OR BY LETTER WHEN NECESSARY.

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