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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1984
APART FROM NEW RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS OF MODERN DESIGNS AND CONVERTED BLOCKS, HE SAID THE ESTATE NOW HAD A VARIETY OF MODERN FACILITIES SUCH AS A COMMERCIAL CENTRE, A MARKET, A COMMUNITY HALL, A CAR PARK AND BEAUTIFUL SITTING-OUT AREAS.
+THE SUCCESS OF REDEVELOPMENT FOR THE ESTATE HAS NOT ONLY BENEFITED THE TENANTS BUT ALSO PROVED THE POPULARITY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR MARK 1/11 ESTATES.
+IT BEARS THE FRUIT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COMMUNITY, AND HAS LAID A FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS FOR FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT WORKS.+
MR LI SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO ACCELERATE THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR MARK / ESTATES AND COMPLETE IT BY 1990.
HE DESCRIBED THIS AS AN ARDUOUS TASK BUT SAID HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT WITH TENANTS UNDERSTANDING, SUPPORT AND COOPERATION, PROBLEMS WOULD BE OVERCOME AND THE PROGRAMME COMPLETED AS SCHEDULED.
+OTHER OLD ESTATES WILL SOON ENOUGH HAVE THE SAME EXCELLENT LIVING ENVIRONMENT AND PROVISIONS AS IN SHEK KIP MEI ESTATE. +
EARLIER IN HIS WELCOME SPEECH, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING MODERN HOUSING, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO UPGRADING LIVING CONDITIONS IN OLD ESTATES.
+SINCE THE REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME BEGAN IN 1972, 55 MARK 1/11 BLOCKS HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED AND 35 OTHER BLOCKS CONVERTED INTO MODERN, SELF-CONTAINED FLATS.+
MR LIAO SAID SHEK KIP MEI ESTATE WAS NOT ONLY THE FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE TO BE BUILT BUT ALSO THE FIRST TO BE FULLY REDEVELOPED.
+POPULATION IN THE ESTATE HAS NOW BEEN REDUCED BY HALF, FROM 50 000 TO 30 000, AND OVERCROWDING IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM.
TODAY'S CELEBRATIONS, ORGANISED AS PART OF THE HOUSING FESTIVAL '84, STARTED OFF WITH A LION DANCE AROUND THE ESTATE AFTER MR LI FOOK-KAU DOTTED THE EYES OF THE LION AT A CEREMONY IN THE ESTATE'S COMMUNITY HALL.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDED A VARIETY SHOW AND A PUBLIC EXHIBITION WHICH ILLUSTRATED THE CHANGING FACES OF SHEK KIP MEI ESTATE. THE EXHIBITION WILL REMAIN OPEN TOMORROW AND ON SUNDAY BETWEEN AM AND 9 PM.
ATTENDING THE CELEBRATION CEREMONY WERE MEMBERS FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT BOARD, AS WELL AS LOCAL KAIFONG AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.
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