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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985
HE ALSO ASKED FOR AN ASSURANCE FROM THE AUTHORITY THAT THE RENTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAMME WOULD BE HISTORICALLY COMPATIBLE AND REASONABLE.
IN ADDITION, THE AUTHORITY SHOULD REVIEW WHAT ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES COULD BE OFFERED THE RESIDENTS CONCERNED TO BUY HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS, HE SAID.
HE FURTHER CALLED FOR EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE AFFECTED TENANTS WOULD BE DECANTED WITH THE MINIMUM HARDSHIP AND DISRUPTION TO THE IR LIVES AND THAT COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE AS REASONABLE AND GENEROUS AS THE PUBLIC PURSE ALLOWED.
FINALLY, HE URGED THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO KEEP UP THE REDEVELOPMENT MOMENTUM SO AS TO UPGRADE LIVING STANDARDS.
THE HON CHUNG PUI-LAM NOTED THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO FIND OUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY CORRUPTION OR DERELICTION OF DUTIES INVOLVED.
TO ENSURE MINUMUM DISRUPTION TO THE TENANTS, HE SAID THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SHOULD CONSIDER MAKING USE OF THE OPEN SPACE IN THE AFFECTED DISTRICTS FOR BUILDING THE REDEVELOPMENT FLATS.
HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD REVIEW THE REMOVAL AND EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCES, ENCOURAGE THE AFFECTED TENANTS TO BUY HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS AND RESERVE UNITS COMPARABLE TO THE ONES THEY WERE LIVING IN FOR TENANTS WHO COULD NOT AFFORD THE RENTS OF THE NEWER ESTATES.
THE HON HO SAI-CHU CALLED FOR AN ASSURANCE ON THE STRUCTURAL SAFETY OF THE 26 BLOCKS AND A DISTINCTION BE MADE CONCERNING THE BLOCKS WHICH WERE BUILT YEARS AGO BY THE FORMER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE CURRENT ACTIVITIES OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
HE SUGGESTED THAT IN THE COURSE OF INVESTIGATION INTO THIS INCIDENT, CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO REVIEW THE PRESENT PROCEDURE REGARDING THE AWARD OF A TENDER FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE LOWEST TENDER SUBMITTED FOR SUCH WORKS NEEDED NOT BE ACCEPTED UNLESS IT WAS A REALISTIC FIGURE CAPABLE OF PERFORMING THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CALLED FORTH IN THE TENDER.
THE HON HU! YIN-FAT QUERIED WHY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD TAKEN SO LONG TO REACH THE DECISION TO REDEVELOP THE 26 BLOCKS AND WHY SO MUCH MONEY HAD BEEN SPENT ON MAINTENANCE WORK IN KWAI FONG ESTATE,
HE SAID THE LACK OF UNIFORM POLICIES AND SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURES HAD LEFT TENANTS ENTIRELY AT THE MERCY OF THE HOUSING MANAGERS IN THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS.
HE SAID IT WAS INCUMBENT UPON EACH HOUSING ESTATE OFFICE TO MAKE KNOWN ALL VACANT PREMISES IN THE AREA TO WORK OUT RESETTLEMENT DETAILS IN CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL TENANTS.