XN000022-1983-04-02 — Page 2

SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 19

NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM TO FURTHER IMPROVE SERVICE

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THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT IS NOW IMPLEMENTING THE FINAL PHASE OF A SOPHISTICATED COMPUTER PROJECT TO COPE WITH ITS INCREASING WORKLOAD AND TO IMPROVE FURTHER ITS STANDARD OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

THE NEW $4.3-MILLION COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE A CENTRALISED AND AUTOMATED INDEX FOR RETRIEVAL OF ALL TRAVEL DOCUMENT, VISA AND INVESTIGATION RECORDS KEPT IN THE DEPARTMENT.

IT CAN RETRIEVE IN FIVE SECONDS THE COMPLETE RECORD OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS APPLIED FOR OR HAS BEEN ISSUED WITH A VISA, PASSPORT OR OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS.

+THIS QUICK AND ACCURATE RETRIEVAL CAPABILITY WILL FURTHER IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT'S RECORD-KEEPING AND RECORD-CHECKING SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE STANDARD OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC,+ MR LEE MAN-CHEE, CHIEF IMMIGRATION OFFICER, SAID.

THE NEW SYSTEM, KNOWN AS THE COMPUTER INDEXING (CINDEX) SYSTEM, WILL STORE ÖVER FIVE MILLION NAME RECORDS WHEN IT IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED BY MAY THIS YEAR.

WITH TWO TO THREE ADDITIONAL DATA STORAGE DEVICES, THE STORAGE CAPACITY OF CINDEX CAN BE INCREASED TO 10 MILLION RECORDS, LARGE ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THE ANTICIPATED INTAKE OF NEW RECORDS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THE CINDEX COMPUTER, WHICH WAS INSTALLED IN JUNE 1982 AT THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT'S NEW HEADQUARTERS, BEGAN OPERATION IN NOVEMBER 1982, REPLACING THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD IMMIGRATION MICROFILM INDEXING (IMDEX) SYSTEM WITH A CAPACITY OF 3.5 MILLION RECORDS.

+APART FROM ITS LARGER STORAGE CAPACITY, CINDEX CAN RESPOND MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN INDEX TO CHECKS AND ENQUIRIES FROM OUR DOCUMENTS DIVISION, VISA CONTROL DIVISION, INVESTIGATION DIVISION, CONTROL POINTS AND EVEN OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS,+ MR LEE PÕINTED OUT.

+AND THE NEW SYSTEM IS A FAR CRY FROM THE MANUAL INDEXING SYSTEM USED IN THE PAST. TO PUT TOGETHER A COMPLETE RECORD OF A PERSON IN THOSE DAYS, WE HAD TO CHECK WITH VARIOUS SECTIONS WHICH MAINTAINED THEIR OWN INDICES,+ MR LEE RECALLED.

THE NEW SYSTEM CAN ALSO RETRIEVE RECORDS BY CHINESE COMMERCIAL CODE OR IDENTITY CARD NUMBER SO THAT RECORD CHECKS CAN BE MADE EVEN WITH INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE NAMES SUPPLIED, MR LEE EXPLAINED.

THIS SOPHISTICATED FEATURE, HE ADDED, IS OF GREAT HELP TO THOSE HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS WHILE ABROAD.

THEY ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT THEIR LOSS TO THE NEAR 201 BRITISH VISA POST, BEFORE THE VISA POST CAN ISSUE THEN WITH A TEMPORAR? OR REPLACEMENT TRAVEL DOCUMENT. IT WILL REFER THE IR CASES TO THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT FOR PARTICULARY UV THE INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR PREVIOUS TRAVEL DOCUMENTS,