XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977

+CDO'S HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN IDENTIFYING THESE POTENTIAL AREAS OF FRICTION AND ARRANGING FOR STAFF FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO MEET PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE INCONVENIENCED.

+ IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE CAUSE OF DISRUPTION BUT IT IS OFTEN POSSIBLE TO MINIMISE ITS EFFECT AND, OF COURSE, THE REASON WHY THE DISRUPTION IS OCCURRING HAS TO BE FULLY AND PATIENTLY EXPLAINED, HE ADDED.

SUPPLEMENTING THIS PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT WITH

INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS, MR. WALDEN SAID THERE WAS ALSO REGULAR GROUP CONSULTATION BETWEEN 10 CDO'S AND CITY DISTRICT COMMITTEES OF THEIR DISTRICTS WHICH CONSISTED OF CHAIRMEN OF AREA COMMITTEES, OTHER MEMBERS OF PUBLIC AND CIVIL SERVANTS.

+THESE GROUPS ARE EXPANDED WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO INVOLVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE CONSIDERATION OF AN IMPORTANT ISSUE,+

TURNING TO POINTS RAISED BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, MR. WALDEN SAID A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE TRAINING NEEDS OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE OFFICER GRADE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE JUNE THIS YEAR AND ITS REPORT SHOULD BE FINALISED THIS WEEK.

HE ALSO NOTED THAT HE HAD SUBMITTED PROPOSALS TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AT DIFFERENT LEVELS TO STRENGTHEN THE CHINESE LANGUAGE DIVISION OF THE HOME AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.

PUBLIC HOUSING RENT WITHIN TENANTS' MEANS

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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S RECENTLY APPROVED RENT POLICY WILL ENSURE THAT THE AUTHORITY HAS A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF ACCOMMODATION WITHIN THE MEANS OF ITS WIDE RANGE OF TENANTS AND THE PROSPECTIVE TENANTS.

THIS WAS SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON. A.J. SCOTT, WHO ADDED THAT PARTICULAR ATTENTION WOULD BE PAID TO THE NEEDS OF LOW- INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY AND THE DISABLED IN NEED.

+THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 374,000 FLATS, BUILT OVER A PERIOD OF 23 YEARS, WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF RENTS AND COSTS,+ SAID MR. SCOTT.

+ IT IS CHARGED WITH, AND FULLY ACCEPTS ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR, PROVIDING AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF ACCOMMODATION, WITHIN THEIR MEANS, FOR BOTH EXISTING TENANTS AND FOR THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO NEED PUBLIC HOUSING AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT. +

/GOING OVER THE