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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1985
+BUT WHAT IS A BETTER ALLOCATION' AND WHO IS 'THE MOST IN NEED' ?+ HE ASKED.
+SOME PEOPLE ARE IN URGENT NEED OF PUBLIC HOUSING WHILE OTHERS CRAVE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. STILL OTHERS DEMAND MOSTLY FOR MEDICAL SERVICES, SMOOTH TRAFFIC, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT OR WELFARE.
+PERHAPS SOME PEOPLE WANT AN INCREASE IN DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS' HONORARIUM, HE SAID.
PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND REPRESENTING DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES MIGHT HAVE DIVERSIFIED OPINIONS ON THE DEMANDS FOR AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, HE ADDED.
+AS REVEALED FROM PAST EXAMPLES, THE CONSTRUCTION OF INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND TRANSPORT SYSTEMS HAS BEEN UNABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH THAT OF PUBLIC HOUSING.
+ I WONDER IF THIS IMPLIES THAT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE ALLOCATION OF AND DEMAND FOR RESOURCES DURING THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS, + DR LAM SAID. HE SAID IT WAS EASIER SAID THAN DONE TO REAL ISE THE SPIRIT OF THE GREEN PAPER ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO TENANTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING, WHICH WAS + IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE A BETTER ALLOCATION OF LIMITED RESOURCES, THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC SUBSIDISED HOUSING SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THOSE MOST IN NEED OF IT+.
WITH THE ADDITION OF THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF SOME PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AS DISCLOSED RECENTLY. DR LAM SAID THE LOSS MIGHT OUTWEIGH THE GAIN IF THE GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTED THIS PLAN.
NEVERTHELESS, DR LAM COMMENDED THE GOVERNMENT FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN THE FORM OF GREEN PAPERS.
+ IN FORMULATING OR REVISING A POLICY, THE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT CONCERNED NORMALLY STATES CLEARLY THE REASONS AND MERITS OF SUCH A MOVE BUT SOMETIMES AVOIDS TOUCHING ON OR SIMPLY MENTIONS CASUALLY THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO THE PUBLIC.
+SUCH PRACTICE WILL NOT GIVE THE GOVERNMENT ANY CREDIT.
+ INSTEAD, IT WILL ACHIEVE A NEGATIVE RESULT AS IT WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC AN IMPRESSION THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS COVERING UP THE FACTS INTENTIONALLY OR EVEN CHEATING THEM,+ HE SAID.
ON PUBLIC HOUSING POLICY. DR LAM SAID BOTH ITS FORMULATION AND REVISION SHOULD BE BASED ON AN ULTIMATE TARGET AND THE RESOURCES.
THE GOVERNMENT