WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1979
3
ANOTHER ISSUE HE RAISED WAS PUBLIC HOUSING. IN ORDER TO REDUCE OUR HEAVY PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME AND TO ENABLE POORER FAMILIES TO BENEF IT FROM SUBSIDISED ACCOMMODATION, HE SUGGESTED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD RE-ASSESS THE INCOME OF ITS TENANTS AT FIVE YEARLY INTERVALS AND REQUIRE THOSE WHO EARN IN EXCESS OF THE LIMIT TO MOVE INTO A HOME OWNERSHIP FLAT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT BY 1982/1983 THE RATIO OF HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS TO PUBLIC HOUSING FLATS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORITY WILL BE IN THE REGION OF 25 000 500 000 OR ABOUT 1:20.
SINCE THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME HAS PROVED THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEMAND FOR PEOPLE TO OWN THEIR FLATS, HE SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REVIEW AND REDUCE THIS RATIO. HE ALSO LOOKED FORWARD TO HEARING THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE POSITION OF THOSE MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES WHO ARE JUST ABOVE THE INCOME LIMIT FOR THESE FLATS.
+THE QUICKER THAT GOVERNMENT CAN SATISFY THE DEMAND FOR HOME OWNERSHIP, THE GREATER IS THE CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIAL STABILITY AND COMMUNITY IDENTITY, HE SAID.
-
UK-HK RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED
*****
LO
THE HON. T.S. LO'S COMMENTS ON THE ANNUAL POLICY SPEECH MADE BY THE GOVERNOR AT THE OPENING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION WERE CONFINED TO ITS REFERENCE TO HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UK.
SPEAKING IN THE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON, MR. LO SAID HE ACCEPTS THE CRITICISM THAT WE IN HONG KONG DO AT TIMES TEND TO TAKE THIS RELATIONSHIP FOR GRANTED.
+THE RESULT IS THAT ON THE ONE HAND TOO FEW BUSINESS DECISIONS ARE MADE CONSCIOUSLY TO BENEFIT BRITAIN, AND ON THE OTHER HAND TOO SELDOM DO WE DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE BRITISH PUBLIC TO THE BENEFITS ARISING FROM BRITAIN'S ASSOCIATION WITH HONG KONG.+
+EXCEPTIONALLY, HE SAID, I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE WISE BUSINESS LEADERS IN HONG KONG WITH FAR-SIGHTED VISION AND PERHAPS MEMORIES OF ANOTHER TIME AND ANOTHER PLACE WHO RISK CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL FORTUNES AS WELL AS EXPEND CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL ENERGY TO FAVOUR BRITAIN AND THUS THE UK-HONG KONG RELATIONSHIP.
+AT ONE TIME, AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF SIMPLISTIC COLONIAL RULE, GOVERNMENT POLICY REQUIRED PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF BRITISH GOODS. IN MODERN TIMES, IT IS OBVIOUSLY NO LONGER APPROPRIATE TO IMPOSE RULES OF THIS KIND.
/HOWEVER, IN