TUESDAY, MAY 1 1993
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GOVERNOR COMPLETES FIRST DAY OF WASHINGTON VISIT
THE
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, HAS COMPLETED FIRST DAY OF HIS THREE-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO WASHINGTON DC YESTERDAY (MONDAY).
THE DAY BEGAN WITH A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON IN THE WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE. THE MEETING WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY VICE- PRESIDENT AL GORE, DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER SANDY BERGER AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE WINSTON LORD.
SOCIETY.
THE GOVERNOR THEN ADDRESSED A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY THE ASIA
IN THE AFTERNOON, THE GOVERNOR ATTENDED INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY MR LLOYD BENTSEN, ACTING SECRETARY OF STATE MR CLIFTON WHARTON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE WINSTON LORD AND MAJORITY LEADER GEORGE MITCHELL.
THE GOVERNOR WAS ALSO INTERVIEWED FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS PROGRAMME, THE MACNEIL/LEHRER NEWSHOUR.
BROADCASTING
THE GOVERNOR AND MRS PATTEN ENDED THE DAY WITH A DINNER HOSTED BY THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR SIR ROBIN RENWICK AND LADY RENWICK AT THE AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE.
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GOVERNMENT ENDORSES MODIFIED HOUSING SUBSIDY POLICY
THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) ENDORSED THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH ITS HOUSING SUBSIDY POLICY WITH MODIFICATIONS IN FAVOUR OF THOSE CURRENTLY AFFECTED.
A HOUSING SPOKESMAN SAID UNDER THE MODIFICATIONS TENANTS WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOME BETWEEN TWO TO THREE TIMES THE WAITING LIST INCOME LIMIT (WLIL) WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY 1.5 TIMES NET RENT PLUS RATES, WHILE THOSE WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOME ABOVE THREE TIMES THE WLIL WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY DOUBLE RENT PLUS RATES.
AS A SECOND MEASURE UNDER THE REVISED POLICY, ALL HOUSEHOLDS COMPRISING ELDERLY PEOPLE WHO ARE AGED 60 AND ABOVE WILL BE EXEMPTED FROM PAYING EXTRA RENTS. IN ADDITION, INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS WITH SPECIAL JUSTIFICATIONS MAY APPLY FOR EXEMPTION ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
FURTHERMORE, TENANTS WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING DOUBLE RENTS, OR IN THE FUTURE THE 1.5 TIMES RENTS, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN APPLYING FOR HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME (HOS) FLATS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE AUTHORITY SHOULD CONSIDER REDUCING THE PERIOD FROM FIVE TO THREE YEARS.
OTHER MODIFICATIONS TO THE POLICY INCLUDE:
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