XN000022-1994-12-01 — Page 8

New Home Affairs Department inaugurated

The Home Affairs Department was officially inaugurated today (Thursday) following the re-organisation of the City and New Territories Administration (CNTA),.

The first phase of the restructuring took place on October 15 last year when the Home Affairs Branch, under the direct supervision of the Secretary for Home Affairs, was established to group policy responsibility for all human rights related issues under a single policy branch.

The Home Affairs Department, meanwhile, was formed by amalgamating the Hong Kong, Kowloon Region Headquarters and the New Territories Region Headquarters of the former CNTA, resulting in a more efficient deployment of staff resources and better co-ordination between headquarters and district offices.

Mr Joseph Wong Wing-ping, who took up the post of Regional Secretary for Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories on November 14 this year, is now the Director of Home Affairs.

He said: "The new structure provides for a clearer division of responsibility, with the Home Affairs Branch adopting a conventional policy branch role, and the Home Affairs Department concentrating on its executive functions."

As to the work of the new Home Affairs Department, Mr Wong explained that it will be responsible for:

implementing the District Administration Scheme; community involvement activities; Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy; local minor works and environmental improvement projects;

* disseminating information relating to, and where necessary promoting the public's understanding of, major Government policies, strategies and development plans;

collecting and assessing public opinion on relevant issues affecting the community;

* exercising statutory functions related to building management, the improvement of safety standards of hotels, guesthouses, clubs and bedspace apartments; and