TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1980
HONG KONG +JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF
PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME
*****
ACTING GOVERNOR
HONG KONG AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY COULD BE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF THE TERRITORY'S PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR JACK CATER, SAID TODAY AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF WO CHE ESTATE, IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN.
SHORTLY BEFORE UNVEILING A PLAQUE IN THE WO CHE COMMERCIAL COMPLEX COMMEMORATING THE COMPLETION OF THE NEW ESTATE, SIR JACK TOLD AN AUDIENCE MADE UP OF HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS, SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OTHER GUESTS:
+OVER THE PAST 26 YEARS, WE HAVE SUCCEEDED, OFTEN AGAINST TREMENDOUS ODDS, IN PROVIDING HOMES FOR FOUR OUT OF EVERY 10 PEOPLE.
+WHEN THE GOVERNMENT BEGAN PROVIDING PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE EARLY 1950'S, IT WAS, IN KEEPING WITH THE EMERGENCY CONDITIONS OF THOSE TIMES, VERY BASIC AND WITHOUT FRILLS.
+SINCE THEN, WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RISING ASPIRATIONS OF OUR PEOPLE AND PROGRESSED THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF EVER-IMPROVING DESIGNS.
+WE ARE NOW BUILDING FULLY SELF-CONTAINED ESTATES WHICH, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD BLESSED WITH A GREATER ABUNDANCE OF LAND, WOULD BE REGARDED AS SIZEABLE TOWNS.
+ALTHOUGH OUR NEW TOWNS TEND TO SPREAD UPWARD RATHER THAN OUTWARD, THEY LACK NOTHING IN COMPARISON WITH THEIR OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS IN TERMS OF FACILITIES AND CONVENIENCE.+
TURNING TO THE FUTURE, SIR JACK WARNED THAT THE WORRYINGLY HIGH LEVELS OF IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA IN THE PAST TWO YEARS MEANT THAT IT WOULD TAKE MANY YEARS OF UNCEASING EFFORT AND A SUSTAINED HIGH LEVEL OF HOUSING PRODUCTION TO FULFIL THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM OF PROVIDING DECENT, SELF-CONTAINED ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL.
+ IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, IT IS VITAL THAT THE RECENT MEASURES TAKEN TO STEM THE FLOODS OF ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS FROM CHINA WILL PROVE SUCCESSFUL, HE SAID,
+SUCCESS IS ESSENTIAL IF HONG KONG IS TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVÉ ITS STANDARDS OF LIVING.
+ IT IS TOO SOON TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF THE NEW MEASURES. THE STATISTICS SHOW A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS OF WOULD-BE'
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, BUT THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED.
+IT WILL TAKE WEEKS, PERHAPS MONTHS, BEFORE TRUE TRENDS BEGIN TO SHOW THROUGH, BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR WE MUST REMAIN ON OUR GUARD FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO COME.
ARE TODAY
-
+AS A COMMUNITY, WE MUST REMAIN RESOLUTE
THAT WE SHALL SUCCEED.
AS RESOLUTE AS WE
/+AND THIS