XN000022-1992-12-22 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1992

PULSE OF RESIDENTS WILL BE CONSTANTLY MONITORED: SHA

HAS

THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION (CNTA) CONTINUED TO ACT AS AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MANY SERVICES IT PROVIDED UP TO THE YEAR JUST ENDING. THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

REVIEWING THE WORK OF THE ADMINISTRATION AT A MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION, MR SUEN ALSO GAVE HIS ASSURANCE THAT CNTA'S OTHER MAIN ROLE TO CONSTANTLY MONITOR THE "PULSE OF THE PEOPLE" WILL BE ANOTHER PRIORITY.

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THIS IS SO THAT WHATEVER VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED OR GATHERED CAN BE IMMEDIATELY ACTED UPON BY THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, HE SAID.

COUPLED WITH THE IMPENDING PERFORMANCE PLEDGE EARLY NEXT YEAR. MR SUEN PROMISED THAT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY WILL BE EVEN MORE EFFICIENT AND FASTER, CERTAINLY MORE ACCOUNTABLE.

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"WE WILL ACHIEVE THESE GOALS BY FIRST REQUIRING GOVERNMENT. DEPARTMENTS TO BECOME MORE SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO DISTRICT NEEDS.

DEPARTMENTS WILL ALSO HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH EACH OTHER AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS ON A CO-ORDINATED BASIS.

AND MR SUEN EMPHASISED THAT DEPARTMENTS ACCOUNTABLE TO DISTRICT BOARDS ON ANY ACTION PLANS.

WILL BECOME MORE

AFTER ALL, HE STRESSED, THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF AN INCREASINGLY VOCAL AND AFFLUENT POPULAT LON.

RECOUNTING 1992'S WORKLOAD, MR SUEN PUBLIC ENQUIRY CENTRES AND REVEALED ANOTHER

FIRST TURNED TO THE 20 IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE.

UP TO NOVEMBER THIS YEAR, MORE THAN 3 MILLION ENQUIRIES HANDLED BY STAFF AT THESE CENTRES AND OVER 5.5 MILLION FORMS INFORMATION PAMPHLETS DISTRIBUTED AT THE SAME TIME.

SOME 422,000 STATUTORY DECLARATIONS WERE ADMINISTERED PRIVATE USE, AND 2.300 CASES OF LEGAL CONSULTATION ARRANGED UNDER FREE LEGAL ADVICE SCHEME AS WELL AS 14,000 PEOPLE RECEIVING ADVICE RENT AND TENANCY PROBLEMS UNDER THE RENT OFFICER SCHEME.

WERE

AND

FOR

THE ON

THE CENTRES ALSO PROVIDED A VALUABLE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THEIR DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS THROUGH THE MEET-THE-PUBLIC SCHEME.

IN ADDITION, A CENTRAL TELEPHONE ENQUIRY CENTRE APRIL LAST YEAR HANDLED 140,000 ENQUIRIES DURING THE REVIEW.

SET UP SINCE

PERIOD

UNDER

/MR SUEN

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