XN000022-1979-03-28 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1979

PEOPLE

HK'S ONE GREAT ASSET IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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IT IS A GREAT PITY THAT THE GROWTH OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SERVICES. WHICH HAVE BEEN MADE MUCH WORSE BY TREMENDOUS ARTIFICIAL GROWTH IN OUR POPULATION, IS TO BE RESTRAINED FOR PURELY ECONOMIC REASONS, THE HON. ROGER LOBO SAID IN COMMENTING ON THE BUDGET IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S OWN PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 1979-80 ONWARDS OF SOME 40-45,000 FLATS A YEAR, WHICH WAS ALREADY REVISED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, INCLUDING THE CAPACITY OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, IS TO BE LOWERED TO 35,000 FLATS,

HE SAID OUR ONE GREAT ASSET IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS OUR PEOPLE AND UPPERMOST IN MOST OF THEIR MINDS IS HOUSING, WHICH MEANS MUCH MORE THAN A ROOF OVER THE IR HEADS.

+HOUSING MEANS FAMILY UNITY IT MEANS PEACE OF MIND AND SECURITY- IT MEANS IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE- IT MEANS A CHANCE TO STUDY BETTER, TO WORK BETTER AND TO LIVE WITH SELF- RESPECT, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT ALTHOUGH THE TARGET PRODUCTION OF FLATS HAD TO BE LOWERED AS PART OF A DELIBERATE PLAN TO PROTECT OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY EARMARKED FOR HOUSING HAS ACTUALLY BEEN INCREASED BY 35 PER CENT.

THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTION IS HIGH BY ANY STANDARDS AND WILL REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY AND A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT FROM ALL CONCERNED, HE SAID.

TO DATE, 1,915,711 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ACCOMMODATED IN PUBLIC HOUSING. OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, 142,220 PUBLIC HOUSING FLATS, INCLUDING 25,400 UNDER THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME WOULD BE PROVIDED, WHILE ON THE PRESENT WAITING LIST THERE ARE 143,000 APPLICATIONS FOR FLATS.

TO US WHO KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HOUSING, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE WAITING LIST CAN BE WIPED OUT THE FIGURES IN REALITY TELL US WHAT A LONG PROGRAMME IT IS STILL BEFORE US AND THE TIGHT SITUATION WILL GET TIGHTER WITH THE PRESS OF IMMIGRATION, MR. LOBO SAID.

+ IF WE ACCEPT THE NEED NOW TO CUT BACK FOR PURELY ECONOMIC REASONS, WE SHOULD ACCEPT FOR GOOD SOCIAL REASONS THE NEED FOR A FIRM COMMITMENT FROM GOVERNMENT THAT RESOURCES WILL BE PROVIDED TO REACH THE TARGET, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN SET.

+ON THIS MINIMUM FIGURE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE NECESSARY FORWARD PLANNING AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BE ABLE TO SEE CLEARLY THE PART WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO PLAY IN MEETING PUBLIC DEMAND, HE SAID.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE...........