SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1984
-1
GOVERNOR OPENS BETTER HOMES IN ESTATES' DISPLAY
*****
THE GOVERNOR SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY THAT NOWHERE WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE MORE EVIDENT THAN IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF A LARGE-SCALE EXHIBITION STAGED AS PART OF THE HOUSING FESTIVAL 84 AT THE CITY HALL, SIR EDWARD SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC HOUSING WAS SUPSTANTIAL.
+ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF OUR TOTAL PUBLIC CAPITAL EXPENDITURE AND 10 PER CENT OF OUR ANNUALLY RECURRENT EXPENDITURE GO TO PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
+WITH ANOTHER MILLION PEOPLE STILL TO BE REHOUSED BY THE END OF THE DECADE AND HOUSING PRODUCTION PROGRAMMES EXTENDING IN TO THE NEXT DECADE, THIS COMMITMENT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.+
THE GOVERNOR SAID IT REMAINED THE AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE, IN COOPERATION WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, DECENT ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL WHO LIVED IN HONG KONG.
+THIS WILL REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF HOUSING PRODUCTION FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.+
HE SAID THE PROVISION OF HOUSING WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S SOCIAL PROGRAMMES, AND WAS AN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT HONG KONG COULD BE JUSTLY PROUD OF.
+OVER 2.4 MILLION PEOPLE, OR ABOUT 45 PER CENT OF OUR POPULATION, NOW LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING.+
IN THE STANDARD OF PUBLIC HOUSING, SIR EDWARD SAID CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE OVER THE YEARS AND THESE WOULD CONTINUE IN LINE WITH RISING EXPECTATIONS AND STANDARD OF LIVING.
+FROM THE BASIC DESIGN OF THE OLD RESETTLEMENT BLOCKS EQUIPPED WITH BASIC ESSENTIALS, WE HAVE GRADUALLY ADVANCED TO THE PRESENT HIGHER STANDARD AND FULLY INTEGRATED ESTATES.+
WITH THIS YEAR MARKING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF HONG KONG'S PUBLIC HOUSING, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE EXHIBITION SERVED AS A PROUD REMINDER OF WHAT HONG KONG HAD ACHIEVED OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES.
HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THOSE WHO SERVED ON IT FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE WELFARE OF THOSE IN NEED OF HOUSING OVER MANY YEARS.
/FARLIER IN