WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987
23
OF THE 1 283 FAMILIES RESIDING IN THE THREE CATEGORY I BLOCKS IN NOVEMBER 1985, 944 HAD EITHER ALREADY MOVED OR HAD ACCEPTED NEW ACCOMMODATION, LEAVING 339 FAMILIES OR 26.4 PER CENT YET TO CHOOSE THEIR NEW HOME, HE ADDED.
AS A RESULT, MR LIAO SAID THE CLEARANCE OF CATEGORY I BLOCKS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WAS PROCEEDING AHEAD OF PROGRAMME.
+GOOD PROGRESS ALSO IS BEING MADE ON THE CLEARANCE OF THE 23 CATEGORY II BLOCKS WHERE FINAL CLEARANCE IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 1989, + MR LIAO SAID.
OF THE 14 029 FAMILIES INVOLVED, HE SAID 5 878 HAD ALREADY MOVED OR SIGNED UP TO DO SO, REPRESENTING 42 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL IN 30 PER CENT OF THE PROGRAMMED TIME.
+IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT SO FAR 2 312 FAMILIES HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE NEW HOS FLATS,+ HE ADDED.
MR LIAO ALSO REPORTED GOOD PROGRESS ON THE CLEARANCE OF COMMERCIAL TENANTS WHICH AGAIN WAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
HE SAID HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF HAD SPARED NO EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE TENANTS TO MOVE TO NEW HOMES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THEY WOULD VISIT AFFECTED TENANTS IN THE EVENINGS TO DISCUSS WITH THEM THEIR PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY MIGHT BE OFFERED THE MOST SUITABLE ACCOMMODATION.
TENANTS WERE ALSO GIVEN A FIRST CALL ON ALL AVAILABLE VACANCIES INCLUDING A WIDE RANGE OF FLATS IN NEW URBAN ESTATES AS WELL AS PRIORITY IN PURCHASING HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ALSO MADE AVAILABLE FLATS TO AFFECTED TENANTS IN EXISTING ESTATES AT A SIMILAR RENT THEY WERE CURRENTLY PAYING IF DESIRED, MR LIAO ADDED.
HE ALSO SAID TEAMS OF SPECIALISTS WOULD CONTINUE TO STRICTLY MONITOR THE AFFECTED BLOCKS DURING THEIR REMAINING LIFE AND PRIOR TO THEIR DEMOLITION.
+THIS IS AN ONGOING AND SYSTEMATIC OPERATION WHICH IS INTENSIFIED DURING TYPHOON CONDITIONS.
ADDED.
+THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED VERY SATISFACTORILY DURING 1986, HE
+UNTIL ALL BLOCKS ARE FINALLY CLEARED, ANY NECESSARY MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR WORK WILL BE CARRIED OUT, HE SAID.
/WITH REGARD