XN000022-1982-05-06 — Page 11

THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1982

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SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES ARE BEING SENT BY RECORDED DELIVERY TO THE ESTABLISHMENTS CONCERNED. MANAGEMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THEM TO THE DEPARTMENT PROMPTLY. UPON REQUEST, CENSUS OFFICERS MAY VISIT ESTABLISHMENTS AND ASSIST IN COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS APPEALED TO MANAGEMENTS TO RETURN THE COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES PROMPTLY AND TO CO-OPERATE WITH CENSUS OFFICERS IN THE COURSE OF ENUMERATION. HE EMPHASISED THAT INFORMATION RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL ESTABLISHMENTS WILL BE TREATED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE

AND WILL ONLY BE USED IN AN AGGREGATE FORM FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES.

$53M PAID OUT TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS

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NEARLY $53 MILLION HAS BEEN PAID OUT TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS OR THEIR DEPENDANTS BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS ASSISTANCE (TAVA) SCHEME SINCE ITS IMPLEMENTATION THREE YEARS AGO.

ANOTHER $542 000 IN AUTHORISED PAYMENTS IS NOW AWAITING COLLECTION.

UP TO THE END OF MARCH, PAYMENT HAD BEEN AUTHORISED FOR 12 734 APPLICATIONS OUT OF A TOTAL OF 14 965 RECEIVED, SAID THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT'S TAVA SECTION, MR SIU KING-CHIU.

+AT PRESENT, 414 APPLICATIONS ARE BEING PROCESSED AND THE APPLICANTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE PAYMENTS SHORTLY, HE SAID.

HE SAID 1 070 PAYMENTS HAD BEEN MADE TO CASES INVOLVING DEATH AND 18 042 PAYMENTS TO CASES INVOLVING INJURIES.

+PAYMENTS FOR FATAL CASES AMOUNTED TO NEARLY $9.4 MILLION, WHILE INJURY PAYMENTS TOTALLED $43.6 MILLION, OF WHICH $11.9 MILLION WAS PAID AS FURTHER GRANTS TO THOSE WHO SUBSEQUENTLY REQUIRED EXTENDED SICK LEAVE, HE SAID.

+THE HIGHEST PAYMENT SO FAR WAS $32 900 IN ONE FATAL CASE,+ HE ADDED.

THE TAVA SCHEME, WHICH IS NON-MEANS-TESTED, PROVIDES QUICK CASH RELIEF FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS OR THEIR DEPENDANTS REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS AT FAULT IN CAUSING THE ACCIDENT BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE POLICE.

PEOPLE INVOLVED CAN APPLY WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE SWD'S TAVA SECTION IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTRE, 14TH FLOOR, 280 GLOUCESTER ROAD. ENQUIRIES CAN BE MADE BY CALLING 5-779421 AND 5-7903650.