WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982
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BUT HE SAID THERE SHOULD BE ROOM FOR STARTS TO BE MADE ON ABOUT $5 BILLION WORTH OF NEW PROJECTS IN 1983-84.
ANNUAL EXPENDITURE ON CAPITAL WORKS AND ON PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECTS HAS INCREASED FROM $6.0 BILLION IN 1980-81, TO $11 BILLION IN 1981-82 AND TO $13.6 BILLION IN 1982-83.
+AGAIN, THIS RATE OF INCREASE CLEARLY CANNOT BE SUSTAINED, PARTICULARLY AS REVENUE FROM LAND SALES, WHICH HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING EXCEPTIONALLY TO THE FINANCING OF THE CAPITAL ACCOUNT, IS UNLIKELY TO CONTINUE AT THE HIGH LEVELS OF RECENT YEARS.
+ THE INTENTION, THEREFORE, IS TO MAINTAIN EXPENDITURE IN 1983-84 AT ABOUT THE LEVEL OF THE CURRENT YEAR,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
BUT HE ADDED THAT THIS SHOULD ENABLE WORK TO PROCEED AS PLANNED ON ALL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING HOUSING AND NEW TOWN PROGRAMMES IN TSUEN WAN KWAI CHUNG, TUEN MUN, YUEN LONG, SHA TIN, TAI PO AND FANLING.
PRIVATE HOUSING FLATS FOR ELDERLY ****
THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO PURCHASE FLATS IN PRIVATE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS TO SUPPLEMENT THE ACCOMMODATION NEEDS OF THE GROUP OF ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TODAY.
SIR EDWARD SAID THIS WILL BE A TRIAL SCHEME WHICH, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, WILL PROVIDE SOME 700 PLACES, ACCOMMODATED IN FLATS SUITABLE FOR FOUR TO SIX ELDERLY PERSONS LIVING TOGETHER IN A FAMILY ENVIRONMENT.
+SUBJECT TO THE AGREEMENT OF HONOURABLE MEMBERS, THE SCHEME WILL BE FINANCED FROM THE SURPLUSES OBTAINED FROM THE SALES OF GOLD COINS WHICH ARE NOW HELD IN THE SPECIAL COIN SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AND, IF SUCCESSFUL, AND SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FURTHER FUNDS. THE SCHEME COULD BE EXPANDED BY THE ACQUISITION OF FURTHER PROPERTIES,+ HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SAID STEPS ARE NOW BEING TAKEN TO IDENTIFY SUITABLE PROPERTIES FOR ACQUISITION FOR THE TRIAL SCHEME AND THE METHOD OF ALLOCATION OF PLACES IN THE FLATS IS BEING WORKED OUT AND WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN DUE COURSE.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WILL BE INCREASED PROVISION OF HOSTEL PLACES.
FOR INSTANCE THE SPECIAL ANNUAL QUOTA FOR ELDERLY PERSONS APPLYING IN GROUPS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 300 TO 400 FLATS AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS ABOUT TO INTRODUCE A PRIORITY ALLOCATION SCHEME FOR PUBLIC HOUSING APPLICANTS WITH PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS LIVING WITH THEM, WHICH WILL REDUCE THE TIME SUCH APPLICANTS REMAIN ON THE WAITING LIST BY UP TO ONE YEAR HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SPOKE OF THE TRADITIONAL AND COMMENDABLE RESPECT FOR THE OLD IN THE COMMUNITY AND SAID THEY +DESERVE A DIGNIFIED OLD AGE.+
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