FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1974-
NEW LANDS TRIBUNAL SET UP *******
1
+
A COMPLETELY NEW LANDS TRIBUNAL WILL BE SET UP ON DECEMBER 1 WITH POWER TO ADJUDICATE CLAIMS AGAINST GOVERNMENT FOR COMPENSATION FOR THE EFFECTS ON PRIVATE INTERESTS OF PROCESSES LIKE LAND RESUMPTION, RECLAMATION AND STREET ALTERATIONS WHICH CANNOT BE SETTLED BY NEGOTIATION.
THIS MEANS THAT SUCH CLAIMS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH MORE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY THAN IN THE PAST, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.
THE SETTING UP OF THE TRIBUNAL COMES WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN TODAY'S GAZETTE THAT THE LANDS TRIBUNAL ORDINANCE 1974 ENACTED EARLIER IN THE YEAR WILL COME INTO FORCE THIS SUNDAY. THE TRIBUNAL WILL BE A PERMANENT JUDICIAL DODY REPLACING THE MANY SEPARATE BOARDS AND TRIBUNALS SET UP IN THE PAST UNDER DIFFERENT LAWS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS OR UNDERTAKINGS.
NOT ONLY SHOULD THE TRIBUNAL SPEED THE SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS BUT BECAUSE OF ITS CONTINUITY IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO GAIN EXPERTISE IN LAND VALUATION MATTERS AND PRODUCE A GREATER DEGREE OF CONSISTENCY BETWEEN ITS DECISIONS THAN HAS BEEN POSSIBLE IN THE PAST UNDER THE DIVERSE ARRANGEMENTS EXISTING, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE TRIBUNAL WILL BE ABLE TO ADJUDICATE ON LAND AND PROPERTY VALUES UNDER THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES :
THE CROWN LANDS RESUMPTION ORDINANCE, THE STREET (ALTERATION) ORDINANCE, THE FORESHORES AND SEABED ORDINANCE, THE PUBLIC RECLAMATION AND WORKS ORDINANCE, THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY (LAND ACQUISITION AND RELATED PROVISIONS) ORDINANCE, THE HONG KONG AIRPORT (CONTROL OF OBSTRUCTIONS) ORDINANCE, THE RATING ORDINANCE, THE WATERWORKS ORDINANCE, AND THE DEMOLISHED BUILDINGS (REDEVELOPMENT OF SITES) ́ORDINANCE.
IT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO PERFORM SIMILAR FUNCTIONS UNDER OTHER LAWS SHOULD THIS BECOME NECESSARY IN FUTURE.
THE TRIBUNAL WILL INITIALLY CONSIST OF A FULL-TIME PRESIDENT, TWO PERMANENT MEMBERS WHO MAY BE CHARTERED SURVEYORS AND A PANEL OF ABOUT TWENTY-TWO ADDITIONAL MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WHOSE ASSISTANCE THE PRESIDENT WILL BE ABLE TO CALL UPON IN THE VARIOUS DELIBERATIONS OF THE TRIDUNAL. HALF OF THE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS WILL BE SURVEYORS OR VALUERS AND HALF SOLICITORS OR BARRISTERS- THEY WILL NOT BE CIVIL SERVANTS. THE NAMES OF THE FIRST GROUP OF PANEL MEMBERS APPOINTED ALSO APPEAR IN TODAY'S GAZETTE.
DETAILED RULES GOVERNING THE WAY THE TRIBUNAL WILL WORK ARE BEING FORMULATED AND THE FIRST SET OF SUCH RULES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE VERY SOON.
Į
:
/2