XN000022-1976-09-08 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1976

SHOPKEEPERS AT TAI ON MANSION TO GET

FULL COMPENSATION BEFORE MOVING

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THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT SHOPKEEPERS AT TAI ON MANSION, WHICH IS TO BE DEMOLISHED IN THE COURSE OF MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY WORKS, ARE TO BE PAID FULL COMPENSATION BEFORE THEY MOVE.

FINAL OFFERS OF COMPENSATION HAVE NOW BEEN MADE TO SUPERSEDE THE EARLIER OFFERS OF A PROVISIONAL ADVANCE, AT A FLAT RATE OF $40 PER SQUARE FOOT OF BUSINESS SPACE, WHICH WERE NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SHOPKEEPERS. THE AMOUNTS OF THE OFFERS VARY GREATLY, SOME BEING ONLY SLIGHTLY OVER THE ADVANCE

PAYMENT FIRST OFFERED AND SOME BEING BETWEEN TWO AND THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT, DEPENDING ON GOVERNMENT'S ASSESSMENT OF THE PROFITABILITY OF THE BUSINESSES DAMAGED AND THE EXPENSES OF CLOSING OR REMOVING SHOP.

THE OFFER HAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE IR BUSINESS LOSSES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE BUILDING WAS RESUMED IN APRIL AND THE LOSS IN PROFIT WHICH WILL LIKELY OCCUR WHILST EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE RE-ESTABLISHED IN NEW PREMISES.

THE SHOPKEEPERS HAVE PAID NO RENT FOR THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, BUT NO DEDUCTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE OFFER ON THIS ACCOUNT.

THE SHOPKEEPERS HAVE BEEN INFORMED IN THE LETTER OF OFFER THAT THEY MAY EITHER ACCEPT THE OFFER IN FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT OF THEIR CLAIMS OR THAT THEY MAY ACCEPT PAYMENT OF THE OFFER AND APPEAL AGAINST IT TO THE LANDS TRIBUNAL. IN EITHER CASE THEY WILL BE PAID IMMEDIATELY.

THE SHOPKEEPERS AFFECTED DELIVERED A PETITION TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE YESTERDAY SEEKING ALLOCATION OF SHOPS IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND THAT FORMAL OFFERS OF COMPENSATION BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS PUBLIC HOUSING SHOPS ARE NOW LET BY PUBLIC TENDER AND NOT ALLOCATED TO PERSONS CLEARED, THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED IN REPLY THAT THIS REQUEST CANNOT BE MET BUT THAT STATUTORY OFFERS OF COMPENSATION HAVE NOW BEEN MADE. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN REMINDED THAT THEY MUST BE OUT OF TAI ON MANSION BY SEPTEMBER 10 SO THAT THE BUILDING MAY BE HANDED OVER FOR DEMOLITION ON SEPTEMBER 13. WORK WILL START ON SEPTEMBER 14.

OF MORE THAN 100 DOMESTIC TENANTS, COMPRISING MORE THAN 400 FAMILY-MEMBERS, ALL BUT FIVE TENANTS HAVE NOW LEFT THE BUILDING OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MOVING. ALL ELIGIBLE FAMILIES WHO WISHED TO BE REHOUSED HAVE BEEN FOUND NEW FLATS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES AND THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN GRANTS TO ASSIST WITH THEIR MOVING. FLAT AND SHOP OWNERS HAVE BEEN OFFERED COMPENSATION FOR LOSS OF THEIR PROPERTIES AT FULL MARKET VALUE.

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