WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1983
5
* THE OLDER URBAN AREAS BEGAN TO DEGENERATE, THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT DIRECTLY THREATENED. POSING RISKS TO HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE RESIDENTS;
* MANY SITES WERE ALREADY DEVELOPED TO THE MAXIMUM
POTENTIAL AND THE BUILDINGS WERE USUALLY IN MULTI- OWNERSHIP, MAKING THE PROCESS OF REPLACING SMALL OLD BUILDINGS WITH BIGGER NEW ONES INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT AND ECONOMICALLY UNATTRACTIVE;
*
*
GOOD BUILDING MANAGEMENT WOULD RESULT IN INCREASE IN VALUE OF THE OLDER URBAN AREAS AND ATTRACT MAJOR BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL EMPLOYMENT;
IT WAS GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WERE ADEQUATELY HOUSED AND THAT THE BUILDING MANAGEMENT CREATED SUITABLE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT; AND
THERE WOULD BE LESS BREACHES OF THE LEASE CONDITIONS AND ORDINANCES RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND LESS ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
+BEARING IN MIND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE QUALITY OF BUILDINGS AND THE QUALITY OF URBAN LIVING, GOVERNMENT HAS A KEEN INTEREST IN SEEING BUILDINGS WELL MANAGED, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO YAU MA TEI, HE SAID THERE WERE 194 OWNERS' CORPORATIONS AND 159 MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, SERVING 12 790 RESIDENTIAL UNITS OR 37 PER CENT OF THE DISTRICT'S TOTAL.
+THIS INDICATES THAT THERE IS STILL A MAJORITY OF LIVING QUARTERS NOT SERVED BY ANY OF THE RECOGNISED BUILDING MANAGEMENT BODIES, HE SAID.
A PILOT SCHEME, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE, WAS THEREFORE INTRODUCED LAST DECEMBER TO FIND OUT THE REASONS FOR AND SOLUTIONS TO THE LACK OF INCENTIVES ON THE PARTS OF THE OWNERS AND OCCUPIERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR BUILDINGS.
COMPULSORY REQUIREMENT TO WEAR SEAT BELTS SOON
*****
LEGISLATION REQUIRING COMPULSORY WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS OF PRIVATE CARS IS EXPECTED TO BE PASSED THIS YEAR AND IS ONE OF A SERIES OF REQUIREMENTS BEING INTRODUCED TO REDUCE CASUALTIES ON THE ROADS.
MR MIKE CLANCY, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, TOLD A MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB TODAY THAT THE REQUIREMENT TO FIT REFLECTING NUMBER PLATES WAS THE FIRST OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND WOULD REDUCE ACCIDENTS IN THE DARK, PARTICULARLY THOSE BETWEEN MOVING AND PARKED OR BROKEN DOWN VEHICLES.
/COMPULSORY WEARING .....