WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1991
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ALL PRE-WAR BUILDINGS HAD NOW BEEN INSPECTED, AND THE STAFF HAD MOVED ON TO POST-WAR BUILDINGS WITHOUT MANAGEMENT ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID.
"BUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF POST-WAR BUILDINGS IS ABOUT 54,000.
"THEY ARE MOSTLY MULTI-STOREY WITH MANY UNITS IN EACH BUILDING AND A FULL INSPECTION OF ALL OF THEM WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL THE END OF THIS CENTURY IF WE RELY ON EXISTING RESOURCES.
"MORE IMPORTANT, AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, OWNERS OF PRIVATE BUILDINGS SHOULD FACE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY OF ENSURING THAT THEIR BUILDINGS ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND PREPARED, HE SAID.
....
MR BARNES SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PUTTING IN HAND AMENDMENTS ΤΟ THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE TO EMPOWER THE BUILDING AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE OWNERS THEMSELVES TO HAVE SURVEYS DONE IN BUILDINGS FOUND TO BE IN A SUSPECT CONDITION.
TURNING TO PUBLIC HOUSING, THE SECRETARY SAID THE LINK OF THE SALE PRICES OF HOME OWNERSHIP FLATS TO PRIVATE SECTOR PRICES WAS VERY FLEXIBLE AND THE DISCOUNT HAD BEEN PEGGED VARIOUSLY TO SUIT THE NERDS AND AFFORDABILITY OF THOSE FOR WHOM THE FLATS WERE INTENDED.
"THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL REVIEW THE HOME OWNERSHIP LIMITS AGAIN NEXT MARCH AND WILL ALSO CONSIDER PROPOSALS TO ASSIST THOSE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE INCOME LIMITS OF THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING," HE SAID.
"THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RECOGNISE THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR MORE PUBLIC SECTOR HOUSING FOR SALE AND INTENDED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF HOS FLATS.
"IT WILL NOT IGNORE THE NEEDS OF THOSE REQUIRING RENTAL HOUSING AND INDEED HAS PLANS FOR PROVIDING MORE ACCOMMODATION FOR SINGLE AND ELDERLY PERSONS,' HE ADDED.
[I
FURTHER MEASURES TO CURB PROPERTY SPECULATION
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THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR GRAHAM BARNES, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ANNOUNCED A NUMBER OF FURTHER MEASURES WHICH ARE IN THE PIPELINE ΤΟ IMPROVE THE EXISTING ONES TO CURB EXCESSIVE SPECULATION IN UNCOMPLETED FLATS WITH THE ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC DISORDER DURING THE SALES.
MR BARNES, SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS, SAID THESE MEASURES WERE TO BE INTRODUCED WITH THE VIEW TO PROTECTING THE INTEREST OF GENUINE HOME BUYERS RATHER THAN AN ATTEMPT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL PROPERTY PRICES.
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