MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1985
3
BUSY DAY FOR VISITING FCO OFFICIAL
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A TOUR OF ONE OF HONG KONG'S EARLIEST AND LARGEST PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING ESTATES WHICH IS NOW BEING REDEVELOPED AND A VISIT TO THE SELF-CONTAINED PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATE OF MEI FOO SUN CHUEN HIGHLIGHTED A BUSY DAY'S PROGRAMME TODAY (MONDAY) FOR PERMANENT UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, SIR ANTONY ACLAND.
SIR ANTONY BEGAN THE THIRD DAY OF HIS FOUR-DAY HONG KONG VISIT WITH A BRIEFING IN THE MORNING BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, THE SECRETARY (GENERAL DUTIES), MR PETER WILLIAMS, AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR JOHN BOYD.
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A VISIT TO THE BRITISH TRADE COMMISSION AND A MEETING WITH THE SENIOR BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER, MR CHRISTIAN ADAMS, AND HIS STAFF.
SIR ANTONY, WHO ARRIVED ON SATURDAY, THEN PROCEEDED TO SWIRE HOUSE FOR A MEETING AND LUNCHEON WITH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS.
IN THE AFTERNOON, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, AND THE DISTRICT OFFICER, SHAM SHUI PO, MR T.K. TSE, HE WENT BY THE MTR TO SHAM SHUI PO.
FOLLOWING TEA WITH MEMBERS OF THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT BOARD, SIR ANTONY SAT IN TO HEAR DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS DISCUSSING THE ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING PILOT SCHEME WITH TRANSPORT BRANCH OFFICIALS.
THE NEXT STOP IN THE BUSY PROGRAMME WAS A VISIT TO THE TWO HOUSING ESTATES. SIR ANTONY FIRST WENT TO THE LEI CHENG UK ESTATE WHERE HE MET THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, MR FUNG TUNG.
HE WAS TOLD THAT THE ESTATE, BUILT BETWEEN 1955 AND 1960 ORIGINALLY HOUSED ABOUT 33 000 IN 19 BLOCKS OF FLATS. WITH OVERCROWDING A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT DECIDED TO REDEVELOP THE ESTATE IN FOUR STAGES.
SIR ANTONY SAW THE IMPROVEMENT IN AMENITIES THAT RESIDENTS OF ESTATE ARE NOW ENJOYING WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF REDEVELOPMENT COMPLETED.
THE THREE NEW BLOCKS IN THE FIRST PHASE OF REDEVELOPMENT NOW HOUSE 8 000 PEOPLE IN MORE SPACIOUS SURROUNDINGS. THE ESTATE HAS A COMMERCIAL COMPLEX, COMPRISING A SUPERMARKET, A RESTAURANT, A BANK AND NUMEROUS SHOPS, THERE ARE ALSO CARPARKING FACILITIES AND WELFARE SERVICES SUCH AS A KINDERGARTEN, A NURSERY, AN ELDERLY CENTRE, A YOUTH CENTRE AND OTHER SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES.
/MR FUNG