WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1976
POSSIBLE ROLE OF MACS
IN PREVENTING INDECENT ASSAULT CASES IN HOUSING ESTATES
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL FIND OUT WHAT MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT CASES OF INDECENT ASSAULT IN PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN THE OLDER PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. IAN LIGHTBODY SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IT WILL ALSO FIND OUT WHETHER THE PROBLEM IS REGARDED BY THE TENANTS THEMSELVES AS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT FORMING SUCH COMMITTEES WHERE NONE EXIST NOW.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. MRS. JOYCE SYMONS ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE STEPS, PERHAPS WITH THE HELP OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, TO PREVENT CASES OF INDECENT ASSAULT.
MR. LIGHTBODY SAID IT WAS TRUE THE COMMUNAL TOILETS AND BATHROOMS IN THE 250 OLD MARK I AND II ESTATE BLOCKS PRESENTED PROBLEM OF THIS SORT AND IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THREE RAPES AND 14 INDECENT ASSAULTS WERE REPORTED.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD SEVERAL YEARS AGO PUT IN HAND A MAJOR PROGRAMME FOR IMPROVING DOORS AND SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN THESE COMMUNAL AREAS AT A COST OF $3-1/2 MILLION.
+THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED IN 1974 IN 10 OF THE 12 ESTATES INVOLVED SHEK KIP MEI AND TAI HANG TUNG ESTATES WERE LEFT UNTOUCHED ONLY BECAUSE THEIR REDEVELOPMENT WAS EITHER PROCEEDING OR WAS IMMINENT,+ HE SAID, +1 UNDERSTAND THAT THESE EXTRA SAFEGUARDS HAVE IMPROVED THE SITUATION TO SOME EXTENT.+
HE ADDED THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD GIVE BETTER PROTECTION IF THE ESTATES HAD THE CARETAKER SERVICE PROVIDED IN OTHER ESTATES OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
+UNFORTUNATELY, THE NEED FOR ECONOMICS DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS DELAYED THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS SERVICE INTO THESE OLD ESTATES,+ MR. LIGHTBODY SAID.
HOWEVER, IT IS HOPED TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF CARETAKERS IN POST BY THE END OF THE YEAR.