Wednesday, May 16, 1973
"I am here to express my personal interest in this programme and
to confirm for myself that the problems have been solved," Sir Murray added.
Earlier, the Secretary for Housing, Mr. I.M. Lightbody, said that
when Sir Murray last visited Shek Kip Mei in December 1971 the rehousing
scheme was a paper concept and was explained to the Governor by means of a
scale model.
"At that time", he said, "the problem of how to get people, deeply
rooted in Shek Kip Mei, to move into Pak Tin reception estate stood huge and
unresolved ahead of us."
"Today, 18 months later, I am glad to say that that problem is far
behind us".
There has already been an overwhelmingly favourable response from the 4,800 tenants from blocks 3 and 4 in the current phase of the rehousing
scheme. "This happy result is much better than expected and it raises our
hopes for rapid progress in similar schemes to redevelop other old estates,"
Mr. Lightbody said.
The following is the full text of the Governor's speech:
"Thank you.
I am indeed intensely interested in the provision of
proper housing for the people of Hong Kong, and you know the programme that
has been prepared.
"Redevelopment of the old resettlement estates is a part of this
programme, and a part that involves many complex, technical and administrative
and above all personal problems.
"The first