WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1984
9
LAND BENEATH FLYOVERS PUT TO GOOD USE
*****
+
THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR N.K. CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IT WAS GOVERNMENT POLICY TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF LAND BENEATH FLYOVERS.
THE USE WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LOCAL NEEDS, COMPATIBILITY WITH SURROUNDING AREAS AND THE VIEWS OF DISTRICT BOARDS, HE SAID.
ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN, HE SAID TYPICAL USES INCLUDED LOCAL OPEN SPACE, REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS, PUBLIC TOILETS, VEHICLE PARKING, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES.
+ IN THE CASE OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, USE OF THE SPACE BENEATH WAS CONSIDERED AT THE PLANNING STAGE IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DISTRICT BOARD AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED, + MR CHAN SAID.
PROPOSED FACILITIES INCLUDED LOCAL AND DISTRICT OPEN SPACES, REFUSE COLLECTION POINTS, TOILETS AND CAR PARKING SPACES, HE ADDED.
PLANS TO MEET SHORTFALL OF HALF-WAY HOUSES
*****
THERE WAS AT PRESENT AN ESTIMATED SHORTFALL OF 830 HALF-WAY HOUSE PLACES, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
CURRENT PLANS PROVIDED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 20 HALF-WAY HOUSES, WHICH WILL OVERCOME THE PROJECTED SHORTFALL BY THE EARLY 1990'S, MR HENDERSON SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI.
OF THESE 20 HALF-WAY HOUSES, AT LEAST 14 WERE PLANNED FOR HOUSING ESTATES.
OVER HALF OF THE EXISTING HALF-WAY HOUSE PLACES WERE SITED IN A HOUSING ESTATE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THIS IS THE SORT OF ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF A HALF-WAY HOUSE WAS TO REINTEGRATE THE PATIENT INTO SOCIETY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, BY ELIMINATING HOSPITAL DEPENDENCY, AND ASSISTING THE RESIDENTS TO TAKE UP DOMESTIC RESPONSIBILITY, LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES, AND DEVELOP WORK HABITS, MR HENDERSON SAID.
+ IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO CARRY OUT THESE FUNCTIONS IN THE SORT OF ENVIRONMENT A PATIENT WILL EVENTUALLY LIVE.
*WE THEREFORE HAVE LITTLE ALTERNATIVE TO ESTABLISHING MOST HALF-WAY HOUSES ON HOUSING ESTATES, HE EXPLAINED.
/10