WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1979
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MR. LI BELIEVED THAT WITH ADEQUATE PLANNING, AN ACCELERATED PROGRAMME OF LAND PRODUCTION WOULD ONLY HAVE MINIMAL RISKS OF ERODING OUR SOCIAL PRIORITIES AND ECONOMIC PRUDENCE,
THE GROWTH RATE OF DOMESTIC DEMAND IS NOW MORE IN LINE WITH THE GROWTH RATE OF THE ECONOMY'S OUTPUT AND THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HIMSELF GAVE A GENERALLY FAVOURABLE REPORT ON THE STATE OF OUR ECONOMY AT MID-YEAR. OUR SOUNDER FINANCIAL POSITION, TOGETHER WITH THE VERY CONSIDERABLE FISCAL RESERVES, SHOULD PERMIT SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO BE CHANNELLED TO LAND PRODUCTION WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMMES, HE EXPLAINED.
WITH THE FORTHCOMING CHANGE TO LUMP SUM PAYMENTS FOR NON- INDUSTRIAL LAND, AND WITH MORE LAND BECOMING AVAILABLE FOR SALE, HOPEFULLY THERE WILL BE A COOLING OFF IN THE LAND MARKET. HE HÁD EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BE INJECTED INTO THE PIPELINE FOR LARGER AND SPEEDIER LAND PRODUCTION WILL BE SPENT JUDICIOUSLY BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY,
FURTHERMORE, THE PRESSURE ON THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY APPEARS TO HAVE EASED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, AND FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM OF THE MTR IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR, INCREASED EXPENDITURE ON LAND PRODUCTION ALONE IS UNLIKELY TO OVER-EXTEND THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, HE SAID.
HOUSING PROGRAMME SHOULD MATCH NEEDS AND HOPES OF SOCIETY
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THE HON, ROGER LOBO TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT WE HAVE PURSUED FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS THE IDEAL OF DECENT HOUSING FOR EVERY FAMILY, WITH REAL SUCCESS IN TERMS OF SHEER NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ALREADY HOUSED- BUT IN TERMS OF CONTINUING NEED, REAL SUCCESS IS AS DISCOURAGINGLY FAR AWAY AS EVER.
+OUR HOUSING PROGRAMME WILL BE JUDGED HERE IN HONG KONG NOT SIMPLY ON STATISTICS BUT ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT IS FELT TO HAVE MATCHED THE NEEDS AND HOPES OF OUR SOCIETY,* HE SAID.
HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE DIFFICULTIES PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION WHICH WAS ADEQUATE WHEN THE PROGRAMME BEGAN HAS BECOME SUB-STANDARD AND THE EARLY RESETTLEMENT ACCOMMODATION HAS TO BE REPLACED. A NEW PROBLEM IS THE INCREASED RATES OF IMMIGRATION.
IT IS EASY TO SAY THAT HOUSING SHOULD BE GIVEN HIGHER PRIORITY BUT PRIORITY IS A RELATIVE MEASURE, HE SAID. IT IS SIMPLISTIC TO ACCUSE THE GOVERNMENT OF INSINCERITY BECAUSE IT IS NOT ALL IMMEDIATELY COMMITTED TO THE PROGRAMME AND IT IS DANGEROUSLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO DRAW SUCH A CONCLUSION IN OUR PRESENT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
FURTHERMORE, MONEY IS NOT THE ONLY RESOURCE REQUIRED. THERE IS THE CAPACITY OF OUR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND THE AVAILABILITY OF LAND WHICH ITSELF DISTORTS THE PROGRESS OF OUR HOUSING PROGRAMME AND CREATES DISAPPOINTMENT.