XN000022-1982-10-30 — Page 2

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1982

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KOWLOON CITY RESIDENTS SHOW SENSE OF IDENTITY

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THERE IS A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG RESIDENTS OF THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT, ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY RELEASED TODAY.

THE FINDINGS WERE REVEALED BY THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER, ALSO CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING GROUP OF THE SURVEY, MRS CLARIE LO, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE.

+IT IS ENCOURAGING TO FIND OUT THAT OF THE 981 RESIDENTS INTERVIEWED, ABOUT 40 PER CENT INDICATED THAT THEY HAD A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING AND ANOTHER 45 PER CENT SAID THEY FELT A DEGREE OF IDENTITY WITH THE DISTRICT,+ MRS LO SAID.

THE 12-MONTH LONG SURVEY, LAUNCHED BY THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS RESEARCH CENTRE, WAS INITIATED BY THE COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE OF THE LOCAL DISTRICT BOARD TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT RESIDENTS.

THE COST OF THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE $130 000 $50 000 OF WHICH WAS FUNDED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD, THE BALANCE COMPRISING CONSULTATION FEE, COMPUTER TIME, STAFF COST WAS BEING CONTRIBUTED BY THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY.

OF THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY BUILDING IN THE DISTRICT, THE SCOPE OF SURVEY WAS RESTRICTED TO THE DISTRICT OFFICE, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE.

A SENIOR STATISTICIAN OF THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH, MR K.K, AU, ALSO ASSISTED IN THE TECHNICAL ASPECT.

TWENTY FOUR STUDENTS OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY WERE INVOLVED IN THE INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY THIS YEAR.

COMMENTING ON THE FINDINGS, MRS LO SAID: +1 AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE HIGH NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS - 87.6 PER CENT - WHO ARE AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE KOWLOON CITY DISTRICT BOARD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ESTABLISHED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.

+ALTHOUGH MANY SEEM UNCLEAR ABOUT THE BOARD'S WORK, I AM SURE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING WILL INCREASE AS THE BOARD'S ROLE TAKES ROOT IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

THE SURVEY ALSO SHOWED THAT MOST RESIDENTS HAD A GOOD IMPRESSION OF THE SERVICES AND STAFF ATTITUDES OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE.

+HOWEVER, IMPROVEMENT IS STILL NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE GREATER PARTICIPATION OF RESIDENTS IN ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE,+ MRS LO ADDED.

/ON FAMILY