17
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1986
PRIORITY AREAS FOR PROJECTS CONSIDERED
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A COMMITTEE WHICH INCLUDES OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF WELFARE AGENCIES WAS CONSIDERING NOMINATIONS OF PRIORITY AREAS FOR NEW NEIGHBOURHOOD LEVEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN 1986-87, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
AND WHETHER THE OLDER RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SUCH AS SHAM SHUI PO AND WESTERN DISTRICT WOULD BE ACCORDED PRIORITY DEPENDED ON THE COMMITTEE'S ASSESSMENT OF COMPETING CLAIMS FROM OTHER AREAS AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT.
THE SOCIAL WELARE DEPARTMENT, MR CHAMBERS SAID, WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE SHORTFALLS IN PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES IN SOME OF THE OLDER URBAN AREAS, SUCH AS SHAM SHUI PO AND WESTERN DISTRICT.
*APART FROM THE COMPETING DEMANDS FOR FUNDS FOR OTHER PROJECTS, THE MAIN DIFFICULTY IN MEETING THE PLANNED PROVISION IN THESE DISTRICTS IS IN FINDING SUITABLE PREMISES FOR SETTING UP FACILITIES SUCH AS CHILDREN'S AND YOUTH CENTRES,+ HE SAID.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PROJECTS WERE INTENDED TO SERVE AREAS WHERE COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND WELFARE SERVICES DID NOT EXIST OR WERE GROSSLY INADEQUATE. SUCH AREAS INCLUDED TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS, SQUATTER AREAS, BOAT SQUATTER AREAS AND SLUMS.
PAST PROJECTS HAD BEEN MAINLY ESTABLISHED IN SQUATTER AREAS, AND TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS WHICH WERE GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED, AND WHICH, BECAUSE OF THE IR TEMPORARY NATURE. DID NOT NORMALLY QUALIFY FOR FULL-FLEDGED WELFARE FACILITIES, MR CHAMBERS SAID.
EACH YEAR, A NUMBER OF NEW PROJECTS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE WELFARE SERVICES, AND TO FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG THE RESIDENTS OF THE MORE DEPRIVED AREAS, HE SAID.
BILL TO RELAX NT HOUSE HEIGHT LIMIT PLANNED
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A BILL PROPOSING TO RELAX THE HEIGHT LIMIT OF NEW TERRITORIES EXEMPT HOUSES IS NOW IN THE FINAL DRAFTING STAGE THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON NICKY CHAN, SAID TODAY WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON RICHARD LAI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID THE PROPOSAL TO RELAX THE HEIGHT LIMIT TO 8.23 METRES (27 FEET) WAS PART OF A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS TO BE INCORPORATED IN A BILL TO REPLACE THE EXISTING BUILDINGS (APPLICATION TO THE NEW TERRITORIES) ORDINANCE AND ITS SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION.
/THE BILL