ENG-1992 — Page 353

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

Under the Telecommunication Ordinance, the branch issues licences for all forms of radio communication in Hong Kong. It conducts examinations of radio operating personnel and issues certificates to suitably qualified persons in compliance with the Radio Regulations of the International Telecommunication Union. It also inspects ship radio and radar installations.

The branch provides advisory and planning services for the communication require- ments of government departments and subvented institutions, co-ordinates and regulates the use of radio communication sites, monitors the technical performance of broadcast services and investigates complaints concerning reception quality.

Postal Services

In 1992, the Hong Kong Post Office joined the United States Postal Service and 30 other postal administrations in co-sponsoring the 1992 Olympic Games held in Albertville, France, and Barcelona, Spain. Under the co-sponsorship arrangement, each postal administration served as the official express courier for the 1992 Olympic Games within its own territory. The Hong Kong Post Office was the official express courier of the Amateur Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong. The objectives of the co-sponsorship were to strengthen the role of postal administrations in the world communications infrastructure and to further the ideals of the Olympic movement. Various philatelic products were issued during the year to to mark the co-sponsorship. These were very popular with collectors.

The Hong Kong Post Office provides an efficient and reliable postal service to the territory. Two mail deliveries are provided each weekday in mainly commercial and industrial areas, with one delivery in residential areas. Most local letters are delivered within one working after the day of posting, although bulk postings and second class mail take slightly longer. Air mail to overseas destinations is usually despatched within 24 hours of posting. Air mail arriving from overseas is normally delivered by the next working day.

In 1992, the Post Office handled 982 million letters and parcels (a daily average of 2.69 million), representing an increase of 3.8 per cent over 1991. Approximately 10 629 tonnes of letter mail and 5382 tonnes of parcels were despatched abroad by air, an overall increase of 7.5 per cent on 1991.

The Speedpost service, which provides a door-to-door collection and delivery service for customers sending time-sensitive documents, samples or merchandise, continued to grow. The service is now available to 61 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. During the year 4.0 million items were handled, an increase of 13.9 per cent over 1991. This volume was the world's third highest after the United States and Japan.

In August 1992, the Post Office introduced, for a trial period of six months, a Household Circular Service whereby organisations and businesses could send advertising materials, unstamped, unenveloped and unaddressed, to their target recipients through the post. If successful, the service will be provided on a long-term basis.

To keep pace with the expansion and development of new towns and to cope with the growth in demand for postal facilities, five branch post offices were opened. One post office was closed down because of site redevelopment. The total number of branch post offices in

299