XN000022-1983-03-16 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1983

PES CENTRES HANDLE 12 MILLION CALLS

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ABOUT 12 MILLION CALLS SEEKING ADVICE AND INFORMATION WERE RECEIVED AT THE 57 PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE (PES) CENTRES OF THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION LAST YEAR.

A CNTA SPOKESMAN SAID THIS REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF 26.5 PER CENT AS COMPARED WITH THE 9.1 MILLION CALLS HANDLED IN 1981.

THE CALLS COMPRISED FOUR MILLION ENQUIRIES, 430 000 REQUESTS MADE AND 7.5 MILLION FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS BEING DISTRIBUTED.

LOCATED IN ALL 18 DISTRICTS, THE PES CENTRES PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES AS ADMINISTERING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, GIVING ADVICE ON GOVERNMENT SERVICES, DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS, DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS, AND IN SOME CENTRES DEALING WITH LEGAL AND RENTAL PROBLEMS.

OF THE FOUR MILLION ENQUIRIES HANDLED DURING THE YEAR, SUBJECTS ASKED RANGED FROM JOB VACANCIES (191 000 OR 4.8 PER CENT), APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC HOUSING (152 000 OR 3.8 PER CENT)

RECREATION AND SPORTS SERVICE (107 000 OR 2.7 PER CENT) TO PROBLEMS CONCERNING EDUCATION (103 000 OR 2.6 PER CENT).

MOST OF THE 430 000 REQUESTS HANDLED WERE FOR STATUTORY DECLARATION SERVICE, SUCH AS DECLARATION OF TRUE COPIES, APPLICATION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS AND EXAMINATIONS, PUBLIC HOUSING AND EMIGRATION.

DURING THE SAME PERIOD, SOME 7.5 MILLION FORMS AND INFORMATION LEAFLETS WERE DISTRIBUTED. THESE INCLUDED REGISTRATION FORMS AS ELECTORS FOR THE URBAN AND NT DISTRICT BOARDS ELECTIONS (1.6 MILLION OR 22.4 PER CENT), APPLICATION FORMS FOR GOVERNMENT JOBS (635 000 OR 8.5 PER CENT), HOME OWNERSHIPS SCHEME APPLICATION FORMS (238 000 OR 3.2 PER CENT, AND SPONSOR FORMS FOR +WALK FOR MILLIONS+ (176 000 OR 2.4 PER CENT).

THE CENTRES AT WAN CHAI, EASTERN, WONG TAI SIN, MONG KOK TSUEN WAN AND SHA TIN HAD FREE LEGAL ADVICE SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE HONG KONG LAW SOCIETY AND DURING THE YEAR 3 249 CASES WERE DEALT WITH.

ANOTHER SERVICE AVAILABLE AT THOSE CENTRES IN THE 10 URBAN DISTRICT OFFICES AND IN TSUEN WAN WAS FOR THE LANDLORDS, TENANTS AND SUB-TENANTS TO DISCUSS THE IR TENANCY PROBLEMS WITH RENT OFFICERS. ABOUT 17 043 PEOPLE MADE USE OF THIS SERVICE DURING THE YEAR.

SINCE LAST NOVEMBER, THE CENTRE AT CNTA'S HEADQUARTERS HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE 13TH FLOOR, WORLD SHIPPING CENTRE, 7 CANTON ROAD IN TSIM SHA TSUI. SERVICES SUCH AS ANSWERING GENERAL ENQUIRIES, DISTRIBUTING FORMS AND ADMINISTERING STATUTORY DECLARATIONS ARE BEING PROVIDED AND THE TELEPHONE NUMBER IS 3-692255.

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