XN000022-1981-07-16 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1981

GOVERNMENT STAFF MEET WITH YAU OF ESTATE BLOCK REPRESENTATIVES

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THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR BILLY LAM, TOGETHER WITH POLICE AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF, MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SIX BLOCKS OF YAU OI ESTATE TONIGHT (THURSDAY) TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS SECURITY PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE ARISEN IN THE ESTATE RECENTLY.

THE REPRESENTATIVES WERE TOLD BY THE DIVISIONAL SUPER INTENDENT, MR DAVE EDWARDS, OF STEPS BEING TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, INCLUDING DOUBLING MANPOWER OF THE ESTATE'S NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING UNIT AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF SPECIAL TEAMS TO CARRY OUT VERTICAL PATROLLING OF ALL BLOCKS. THE REPRESENTATIVES WERE URGED TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO REPORT TO THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY ANY SUSPICIOUS CHARACTERS OR BEHAVIOUR.

THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT SAID ACTION TO REPAIR DEFECTIVE GATES OF FLATS HAD ALREADY STARTED.

MR LAM SAID MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES HAD A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN IMPROVING SECURITY IN THE ESTATE AND SAID THE DISTRICT OFFICE WAS INTENSIFYING ITS EFFORTS TO GET THEM ESTABLISHED IN ALL SIX BLOCKS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE NOW THAT THE BLOCKS WERE BEING FILLED. HE SAID AN MAC HAD ALREADY BEEN SET UP IN ONE BLOCK AND ANOTHER ONE WAS BEING FORMED. HE APPEALED TO RESIDENTS TO BECOME MAC MEMBERS.

MR LAM SAID HE WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS NEWCOMERS TO TUEN MUN MIGHT FACE IN MOVING INTO AN UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT, BUT SAID THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO DO ALL THEY COULD TO ASSIST THEM TO SETTLE DOWN. HE SAID SOME FACILITIES ALREADY EXISTED AND THERE WAS A PROGRAMME TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN'S CENTRES, NURSERIES, KINDERGARTENS AND RECREATIONAL OUTLETS, GOVERNMENT STAFF ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THESE ARE PROVIDED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO MEET THE SITUATION CREATED BY THE EXTREMELY RAPID BUILD-UP OF POPULATION,+ MR LAM SAID.

YAU OI IS THE SECOND LARGEST ESTATE IN TUEN MUN WITH 20 000 RESIDENTS. TUEN MUN HAS A PRESENT POPULATION OF 130 000, DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS LAST YEAR, AND IT WILL EXPAND TO OVER 550 000 WHEN THE NEW TOWN IS FULLY COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE 1980S.