THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1994
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GOVERNOR:
WELL, WHAT I OBSERVE AND IT HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH MY EFFORTS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WHAT I OBSERVE IS THAT OVER THE YEARS, HONG KONG HAS SEEN A SUBSTANTIAL AND SUSTAINED INCREASE IN HOME OWNERSHIP WHICH I BELIEVE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS DECADE. THE FIGURES ARE SPECTACULAR WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEM DECADE ON DECADE AND THAT WILL CONTINUE AND IT WILL CONTINUE FOR THE TOP 10% IN TERMS OF INCOME AND FOR, I HOPE, OTHERS WHO ARE LESS WELL PAID OR HAVE HAD SMALLER AMOUNTS OF CAPITAL. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE, AS WE HAVE DONE, THAT THOSE FURTHER DOWN THE SCALE ARE HELPED, WHICH IS WHY I THINK WE HAVE BEEN RIGHT IN EFFECT TO DOUBLE THE PROVISION THROUGH THE SANDWICHED CLASS HOUSING SCHEME; AND WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY CAN ASSIST AS WELL, BOTH THROUGH THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND THROUGH PSPS; AND, AS WELL, THROUGH THE PROVISION OF RENTAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THOSE WHO, ALAS, CAN'T AFFORD TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN HOME OR DON'T WISH TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN HOME. BECAUSE THERE WILL ALWAYS, IN THIS SOCIETY, HOWEVER SUCCESSFUL OUR ECONOMY, BE PEOPLE IN THAT CATEGORY.
MR EDWARD HO:
I THINK THIS TIME I AGREE WITH YOUR OVERALL APPROACH BECAUSE I DO SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLE OF FREE MARKET AND IF THERE'S A PROBLEM IN SUPPLY WE SHOULD ADDRESS THAT AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR. SO ON THE QUESTION SUPPLY I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION ON REDEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY ON REDEVELOPMENT OF URBAN SITES WHICH I THINK HAS RECEIVED VERY LITTLE COVERAGE IN THE REPORT.
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THE QUESTION I'D LIKE TO ASK IS, HOW DOES GOVERNMENT PROPOSE то FACILITATE REDEVELOPMENT OF URBAN SITES, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A SUBJECT WHICH HAS BEEN RAISED BEFORE BY GOVERNMENT?
GOVERNOR: FIRST OF ALL I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE HONOURABLE MEMBER'S SUPPORT ON THIS OCCASION AND I WILL HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ΤΟ INCREASE THE STRIKING RATE IN TERMS OF SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
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SECONDLY, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS OF COURSE ENTIRELY RIGHT TO SAY THAT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF URBAN SITES IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTORS TO SUPPLY OF LAND, SUPPLY OF HOUSING. IT'S A VERY SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTOR AND UNLESS WE WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT GOVERNMENT, WE WOULDN'T BE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM COMPREHENSIVELY. THINK IT'S OUR VIEW THAT QUITE APART FROM TRYING WHERE WE CAN EXPEDITE EXISTING PROCEDURES, WHETHER IN PLANNING, WHETHER PROVIDING NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE, JUST IN COMING TO DECISIONS, I THINK IT'S OUR JUDGMENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A RATHER MORE PRO-ACTIVE ROLE IN REDEVELOPMENT IN TRYING TO SUPPORT THOSE REDEVELOPMENTS WHICH ARE GOING TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON HOUSING SUPPLY AND THAT I GUESS WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEW SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, IF THIS COUNCIL AGREES TO THE POST, WHOEVER SHE OR HE MAY BE.
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/MR LEE WING-TAT