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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1994
ALL OUR PROGRAMMES REFLECT THESE GOALS. THESE PROGRAMMES, ESPECIALLY THAT SET OUT IN THE 1989 WHITE PAPER ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE STATUTORY WASTE DISPOSAL PLAN, HAVE A 10-YEAR TIME FRAME. THEY ARE
IN EFFECT ACTION PLANS, PLANS AIMED NOT SO MUCH AT DEBATING POLLUTION, BUT ABATING POLLUTION. THIS IS A POINT, I FEEL, THAT MBRITS SOME EMPHASIS SINCE 1 DETECT A TENDENCY IS SOME QUARTERS TO WISH TO DISCUSS AND REVIEW INDEFINITELY WITH APPARENTLY LITTLE REGARD TO THE NEED TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME. NEVERTHELESS, I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT WE ARE WELL ADVANCED WITH MANY OF OUR PROGRAMMES AND PLANS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF SOLID AND CHEMICAL WASTE DISPOSAL.
MORE REMAINS TO BE DONE, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF CURTAILING WATER AND AIR POLLUTION. OUR PRIORITIES ARE THEREFORE TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, TO PLAN AGAINST POLLUTION, TO BROADEN THE COMMUNITY'S KNOWLEDGE AND SYMPATHY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE THE TASK OF MAKING HONG KONG A QUIETER PLACE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT CONCENTRATING SOLELY ON POLLUTION PAST. WE WILL,
ALSO BE, EXAMINING HOW THE CONCEPT OF "SUSTAINABILITY" CAN BE APPLIED TO GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES AND POLICIES IN THE WIDER CONTEXT. IN THIS WAY, WE WILL TRY TO MOVE FORWARD ON TWO FRONTS CLEANING UP THE LEGACY OF THE PAST, AND PREVENTING FUTURE PROBLEMS.
C.HOUSING
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LET ME NOW TURN TO HOUSING. PROPERTY PRICES HAVE MODERATED SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR. IT IS NOT SURPRISING, THEREFORE, TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE LEVEL OF INTEREST AMONG POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS IN ENTERING THE MARKET TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOWER PRICES, ESPECIALLY IN GOOD QUALITY DEVELOPMENTS. THE SITUATION IS HEALTHY FOR THE LONG- TERM DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY MARKET AND IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR OBJECTIVE OF MAKING HOME OWNERSHIP POSSIBLE FOR MORE PEOPLE THROUGH ADEQUATE SUPPLY. WE HAVE LONG RECOGNISED THAT THERE IS A STRONG UNDERLYING DEMAND FOR HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP IN HONG KONG, AND WE ARE WORKING HARD TO INCREASE SUPPLY TO MEET THE DEMAND.
ON LAND SUPPLY, IT IS OUR AIM TO GRANT ANOTHER 15 HA OF LAND IN 1994/95 SO AS TO PRODUCE APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MORE FLATS. TO THIS END A SUPPLEMENTARY LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME HAS BEEN SUBMITTED то THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE LAND COMMISSION. WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE CHINESE SIDE WHICH SHOWS THAT THEY ARE STUDYING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS ENCOURAGING AND WE HOPE THE LAND COMMISSION WILL MEET SOON.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE PRESSING AHEAD WITH THE NECESSARY GROUND WORK, SUCH AS CHANGE OF LAND USE AND PREPARATION OF LAND GRANT CONDITIONS, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE SO AS TO ENABLE THE SITES ΤΟ ВЕ DEVELOPED AFTER LAND COMMISSION APPROVAL.
ON SPECULATION, THE GENERAL PERCEPTION IS THAT SPECULATORS ARE STILL IN RETREAT FROM THE MARKET. TWO INDICATORS WHICH THE TASK FORCE HAS USED TO GAUGE THE EXTENT OF SPECULATION SUPPORT THIS VIEW.
/(A) VACANCY