HOUSING
42
Wednesday, October 16, 1974
The Housing Authority has been very active in recent
months in up-dating its building programme in close consultation
with the New Towns Project Managers. Contracts now let
throughout Hong Kong will provide housing for up to 100,000
more people in 1975/76 and 140,000 in 1976/77. It would be
wrong to give publicity to precise figures thereafter because
completions will depend on so many factors, including clearance
and site formation, that cannot be foreseen at present. But
broadly speaking we intend the figures gradually and no doubt
with some irregularity to rise to the 200,000 mark. Meanwhile
we may look forward confidently to progressive improvement
in the housing situation over the next five years. When our
objective will be achieved of a self-contained home in a
decent environment for all will depend on many things, including
the rate and type of construction in the private sector and, of
course, the rate of immigration and of natural growth of the
population. But certainly by 1984 the situation will have been
completely transformed.
I should emphasise that this problem can only be
solved by steady planned and persistent construction over a
long period of time. This your Government and the new Housing.
Authority are now geared to maintain. I reaffirm our
determination to press ahead steadily with the work, for as
long as necessary, until this defect in our society is removed.
/It is
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