Residents asked to give 'standard' replies for culture inspection
- Source: Global Times
- [08:32 April 26 2011]
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By Yan Shuang
A "National Cultured District" government campaign in a Chaoyang township raised eyebrows among the public when "standard answers" were handed out to an upcoming questionnaire and residents were asked to respond accordingly.
A resident surnamed Hu of the Fuli Youyicheng community in Dougezhuang, Chaoyang district, told the Global Times that residents received notices from the township government on Friday and Saturday informing them that a door-to-door survey inspection would be conducted from Monday to Friday to check whether Chaoyang is meeting standards as a "cultured district."
The notice came with a copy of the survey's 43 questions, covering residents' own cultural caliber and how respondents feel about the government's community works. Each question included a "standard answer" that residents were asked to give. For example, for the question "Are you satisfied with the township's environment?" the correct answer was, "Yes, I am."
The suggested answer to "Do you take part in any sports activities?" was, "Yes, at least three times a week for about an hour each time."
The district will get good grades if residents fill in the questionnaire according to the given answers, and residents should give their support to the government in competing to be a cultured district, according to an employee with the Spiritual Civilization Office of the Dougezhuang township government, the Beijing Times reported. Residents can still voice dissatisfaction if they want, the employee said.
Yet residents found the pre-completed questionnaires absurd.
"The government is treating us like fools. I disagree with almost all the answers they listed, and I will write down my real feelings in the questionnaire," Hu told the Global Times. Garbage collecting stations and terrible transportation conditions are making the surrounding environment of Fuli Youyicheng a mess, according to Hu.
The inspection commenced Monday evening and will cover all 43 communities and sub-district areas within Chaoyang. Third-party inspectors from other regions will also be involved, according to a Cultured District Office employee.
"I don't know how or where [Dougezhuang township] got a copy of the questionnaires. The content of our questionnaires is not to be revealed before the inspection team arrives on site," she said Monday on condition of anonymity.
A spiritual civilization office employee said leaders were not available for comment Monday.
