WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1974
11 -
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME FOR LICENSED AREAS UNDER WAY
******
PLANS ARE NOW READY FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STANDARDS OF EXISTING LICENSED AREAS, PRINCIPALLY BETTER TOILETS AND BATHHOUSES, DRAINAGE AND ELECTRIFICATION.
THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. IAN LIGHTBØDY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT ESTIMATES OF COST FOR THESE PLANS WOULD SHORTLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BEFORE SUBMISSION TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS.
SPEAKING IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. PETER WILLIAMS WHO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE +ATROCIOUS/CONDITIONS+ IN THE WONG CHUK HANG LICENSED AREA, MR. LIGHTBODY MÓTED THAT SUCH EXPENDITURE ON IMPROVING THESE AREAS WOULD BE A GOVERNMENT ONE RATHER THAN A LIABILITY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IMPRØVEMENTS TO THE WONG CHUK HANG LICENSED AREA WERE ALREADY IN HAND AND BUILDING WORK ON GREATLY IMPROVED TOILET AND BATHHOUSE FACILITIES HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY SHOULD BE READY FOR USE SHORTLY.
WORK ON OTHER IMPROVEMENTS WOULD START IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, INCLUDING RENEWAL OF DEFECŢÍVE PAVING AROUND THE PERIMETER, IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SURFACE DRAINAGE AND PROVISION OF A SITTING-OUT AREA, AS WELL AS A DECENT REFUSE COLLECTION POINT.
HOWEVER, HE SAID PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT ENOUGH IN THEMSELVES, AND THEY MUST BE BACKED UP BY ADEQUATE DAY-TO-DAY SUPERVISION BY HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF.
A SENIOR HOUSING MANAGER POST HAD RECENTLY BEEN CREATED FOR THIS PURPOSE AND THERE HAD ALSO BEEN RE-DEPLOYMENT OF STAFF AND RE-DEFINITION OF JOBS WHICH WOULD ALLOW STAFF TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE AREAS WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED BY / PLANNING RESPØNSIBILITIES.
REPLYING TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY MR. WILLIAMS ON WHEN THE WONG CHUK HANG INHABITANTS COULD BE REHOUSED IN PUBLIC HOUSING, MR. LIGHTBODY SAID THESE FAMILIES HAD LIVED IN THE AREA FOR THREE TO FOUR YEARS AND THEY WERE +VERY DESERVING OF AN ALLOCATION OF
PUBLIC HOUSI
USING.+
HE SAID: + UNDERSTANDABLY, HOWEVER, THEY INSIST ON STAYING IN THE ABERDEEN AREA AND THIS MEANS THAT THEIR PROBLEMS CANNOT BE SOLVED UNTIL PUBLIC HOUSING IS AVAILABLE IN THAT AREA.
+OUR BUILDING PROGRAMME WILL NOT PROVIDE THE NECESSARY UNITS IN THE ABERDEEN AREA FOR SEVERAL YEARS, BUT I CAN ASSURE MY HONOURABLE FRIEND THAT THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WILL BE CONSTANTLY ON THE WATCH FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT MAY PRESENT ITSELF FOR MOVING THESE FAMILIES INTO PUBLIC HOUSING AT AN EARLIER DATE.+
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