XN000022-1983-05-18 — Page 7

6

ON

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 1983

ROLE OF DISTRICT OFFICE OUTLINED

****

THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE IS TO CO-ORDINATE LOCAL AFFAIRS AND THE WORK OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED TO ENSURE THAT THE DISTRICT IS DEVELOPED INTO A BALANCED COMMUNITY, THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT OFFICER, MISS ELAINE CHUNG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SHEK WAI KOK ESTATE'S PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRE, SHE DESCRIBED THE DISTRICT OFFICE AS A SPECIAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.

MISS CHUNG SAID THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EXPLAINING TO THE RESIDENTS THE WORK OF ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, AND OF GATHERING PUBLIC OPINION ON NEW POLICIES TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS.

+WE ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL DEPARTMENT, BUT HAVE THE WIDEST CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC AND ARE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT.

+SUGGESTIONS AND VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE ON VARIOUS GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND LOCAL PROBLEMS ARE REFLECTED TO THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE 18 DISTRICT OFFICES, SHE SAID.

MISS CHUNG SAID THAT THE ADDITION OF ELECTED MEMBERS TO DISTRICT BOARDS HAD PUSHED THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM ONE BIG STEP FORWARD.

+THROUGH VIEWS REFLECTED BY THE DISTRICT BOARDS, DISTRICT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES AND AREA COMMITTEES, THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS WHEN IMPLEMENTING NEW POLICIES, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT THERE WERE NOW THREE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES IN CHEUNG SHAN ESTATE AND ONE IN SHEK WAI KOK ESTATE, AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE WOULD CONTINUE TO HELP RESIDENTS SET UP SUCH COMMITTEES TO ENCOURAGE MORE CIVIC-MINDED RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY-BUILDING WORK.

MISS CHUNG SAID THAT THROUGHOUT TSUEN WAN, THERE WERE ALREADY NINE PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES, ONE MINI CENTRE AND ONE MOBILE CENTRE IN SHAM TSENG.

+HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN CHEUNG SHAN AND SHEK WAI KOK ÉSTATES NORTH OF CASTLE PEAK ROAD, THIS NEW PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRE IS SET UP TO SERVE THE 50 000-0DD RESIDENTS.

+SERVICES PROVIDED AT THIS CENTRE INCLUDE A GENERAL ENQUIRY SERVICE, DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT FORMS AND PAMPHLETS, REFERRAL OF RESIDENTS' COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS TO CONCERNED GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, STATUTORY DECLARATIONS, AND REFERRAL OF CASES TO THE LEGAL ADVICE AND RENT OFFICER SCHEMES,+ MISS CHUNG SAID.

ALSO OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY WERE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TSUEN WAN RURAL COMMITTEE, MR CHAN LAU-FONG DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, MR CHAN KOON-SHING AND MR CHEUNG SAU-CHING; ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER, MR FRANKIE LUI, AND THE HOUSING MANAGER OF SHEK WAI KOK ESTATE, MR LI KING-CHI.