FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1994
15
SPEL OUTLINES POLICY COMMITMENTS
PLANNING,
FOLLOWING IS THE SPEAKING NOTES OF THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, TODAY (FRIDAY) ON POLICY COMMITMENTS:
HIS
MY POLICY COMMITMENTS COVER THREE AREAS AT PRESENT. THEY ARE: MANAGING HONG KONG'S LAND RESOURCES, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT AND HOUSING. THE LAST ONE WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING ASSUMING THE POST WILL BE CREATED LATER THIS YEAR. HOUSING IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MOST HONG KONG PEOPLE. IT DESERVES THE FULL TIME ATTENTION OF A POLICY SECRETARY.
IN GENERAL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADDRESS, THE PROGRESS REPORT, THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME, THE POLICY COMMITMENTS AND OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS FOR EXAMPLE ENVIRONMENT WHITE PAPER REVIEW, REPORT OF TASK AND LAND SUPPLY AND PROPERTY PRICES, YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF EXTENSIVE PROGRAMMES ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF INTER-RELATED ACTIVITIES. I WILL ELABORATE BRIEFLY AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS.
A.MANAGING HONG KONG'S LAND RESOURCES
I WILL SAY A LITTLE ABOUT THREE PARTICULAR ITEMS UNDER THIS HEADING. FIRST, BUILDING SAFETY. THE DEATHS AND INJURIES CAUSED BY THE COLLAPSE OF A WALL UNDER DEMOLITION AT NATHAN ROAD ON SEPTEMBER 9 AND A FALLEN CANOPY IN ABERDEEN ON AUGUST 1 AGAIN FOCUSED PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THE QUESTION OF BUILDING SAFETY. THE DIRECTOR OF BUILDINGS AND I HAVE BRIEFED THE LAND AND WORKS PANEL ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS. WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL AGAIN, I WISH TO REPEAT SOME OF THIS.
(A)
(B)
(C)
WE ARE SEEKING EXTRA RESOURCES TO SET UP A TEAM OF PERMANENT STAFF SO AS TO PUT DEMOLITION SITES UNDER REGULAR MONITORING BY BUILDING AUTHORITY STAFF. IN THE MEANTIME, STAFF HAVE BEEN RE-DEPLOYED FROM OTHER AREAS FOR THIS PURPOSE.
AUTHORIZED EXISTING WE HAVE FUTURE
WE HAVE ALREADY ISSUED NEW PRACTICE NOTES ΤΟ PERSONS AND REGISTERED CONTRACTORS TO TIGHTEN UP PROCEDURES. WITHIN THE LIMITS OF PRESENT POWERS, IMPOSED MORE STRINGENT SAFETY CONDITIONS ON DEMOLITIONS.
WE ARE URGENTLY REVIEWING THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE BUILDING AUTHORITY'S CAPABILITY TO MONITOR DEMOLITION SITES. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO NEED TO STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF THE AUTHORIZED PERSONS, REGISTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND REGISTERED CONTRACTORS.
REVIEW.
THE
LAND
THE
SECONDLY, THE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PRIMARY GOAL OF THE REVIEW IS TO ESTABLISH A BROAD, LONG TERM USE-TRANSPORT-ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH NECESSARY LAND AND INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE PROVIDED, HAVING REGARD TO RESOURCE AVAILABILITY, TO ENABLE HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO GROW
A REGIONAL AND AN INTERNATIONAL CITY AND BECOME A BETTER PLACE IN TO LIVE AND WORK.
AS
WHICH
/ONE IMPORTANT
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