WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1987
12
URGENT ACTION AGAINST NT FLOODING NEEDED
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SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE HON LYDIA DUNN, CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR DOING TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE IN FLOOD PREVENTION IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, RESULTING IN CRIPPLING LOSS FOR FARMERS WHENEVER RAINSTORM OCCURS.
SPEAKING DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON FLOODING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, MISS DUNN SAID:
+ IT IS NOT ONLY THE MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD THAT IS THREATENED BY FLOOD BUT THE HOMES OF THE FARMERS AND OTHERS WHO LIVE IN THE RURAL AREAS.
+OUR FARMERS ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR PRODUCING SOME 34 PER CENT OF OUR VEGETABLES, 39 PER CENT OF OUR POULTRY AND 11 PER CENT OF OUR FRESH-WATER FISH. FLOODING NOT ONLY CREATES FOR THEM CRIPPLING LOSS, BUT ENDS UP PINCHING THE PURSES OF OUR HOUSEWIVES. +
MISS DUNN SAID A NUMBER OF COMPLAINT CASES THAT HAD COME TO THE ATTENTION OF OMELCO HAD DRAWN COUNCILLORS TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT COULD, AND MUST, ADDRESS IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY FLOODING.
THE FIRST WAS THE NEED FOR SPEEDY ACTION.
+AFTER THE FLOODS SUBSIDE, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT OFTEN TAKES MONTHS OF LENGTHY DISCUSSION AND INVESTIGATION BEFORE THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT IS WILLING TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY AND LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM.
+ANOTHER FEW MONTHS PASS WHILE REMEDIAL ACTION IS CONSIDERED AND BEFORE WE KNOW IT THE RAINY SEASON IS UPON US AGAIN, SHE SAID.
THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THE APPARENT LACK OF EFFECTIVE
CO-ORDINATION, SHE SAID.
SHE CITED A RECENT COMPLAINT CASE INVOLVING BLOCKED STREAMS IN FANLING CAUSED BY INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING IN WHICH THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TOOK MONTHS TO DECIDE ON THE RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY TO CARRY OUT REMEDIAL WORKS.
AT THE END, THE COORDINATING DEPARTMENT WHICH HAD NEITHER THE STAFF RESOURCES NOR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR THE REMEDIAL WORKS REQUIRED, HAD TO RELY ON PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME FOR A SOLUTION. THIS MEANT FURTHER MONTHS OF DELAY AND IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH, SHE SAID.
WHILE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE POURED INTO DEVELOPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR NEW TOWNS AND ENSURING A HIGH STANDARD OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO ATTRACT NEWCOMERS, VERY LITTLE WAS DONE IN COMPARISON, FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE NON-URBAN PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY OVERALL POLICY OR PLAN TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW RURAL POPULATION IN PROPERLY LAID OUT VILLAGES.
/......... ABSENCE