MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1986
5
MOP-UP OF ABERDEEN FIRE SITE UNDERWAY
*****
A MEETING WAS HELD AMONG GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TODAY (MONDAY) TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF RELIEF AND REHOUSING ARRANGEMENTS FOR VICTIMS OF THE FIRE IN ABERDEEN TYPHOON SHELTER LAST FRIDAY.
THE MEETING WAS CHAIRED BY SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR SIMON LORD, AND WAS ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, MARINE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE AND THE MARINE POLICE.
MR LORD SAID AFTER THE MEETING THAT 85 PER CENT OF THE FIRE VICTIMS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL REHOUSING AND THE REST WERE ELIGIBLE FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
OF THE PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR LOCAL REHOUSING, THE MAJORITY WOULD BE OFFERED PERMANENT HOUSING IN LEI TUNG ESTATE OR IN CHAI WAN, WHILE THE REST WOULD MOVE INTO THE NAM FUNG ROAD OR LEI TUNG TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS, MR LORD SAID.
IT WAS HOPED THAT THE FIRE VICTIMS COULD MOVE INTO THE TWO THA'S BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR AND HOUSING ESTATES IN LEI TUNG OR CHAI WAN IN LATE JANUARY OR EARLY FEBRUARY, HE ADDED.
THOSE QUALIFIED FOR PERMANENT REHOUSING AND WISHED TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC HOUSING FLATS BEFORE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR COULD DO SO BY TAKING UP CASUAL VACANCY ON HONG KONG ISLAND OR IN KOWLOON.
MEANWHILE, ALL SIX FAMILIES WHO WERE TEMPORARILY STAYING AT THE HARBOUR MISSION CHURCH IN AP LEI CHAU HAD MOVED OUT THIS MORNING. FOUR FAMILIES HAD MOVED INTO THE WONG CHUK HANG TRANSIT CENTRE AND THE OTHER TWO HAD OPTED TO STAY WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES.
ON CASH RELIEF, THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFICE HAS BEEN GIVING OUT FAT CHOI SPECIAL AID FUND TO FIRE VICTIMS SINCE SATURDAY. EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FROM THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON ACCEPTANCE OF REHOUSING OFFERS, WHILE LICENSED WORKING BOATS WOULD RECEIVE RELIEF FROM THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.
THE ONLY HOSPITALISED FIRE VICTIMS, FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL ASSISTANCE, WILL RECEIVE EMERGENCY RELIEF FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
MEANWHILE, THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WOULD TOW AWAY DRIFTING BOATS BY THE END OF TODAY AND CONTRACTORS WOULD BE CALLED IN TO SALVAGE SUNKEN BOATS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. MARINE POLICE WOULD MAINTAIN PATROL OF THE AREA UNTIL THE OPERATION IS COMPLETED.
16