WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 1982
IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE GUIDELINES SET DOWN IN THE GEOTECHNICAL MANUAL AND THE EXPERTISE NOW AVAILABLE BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT ENSURE THAT THE STANDARDS BEING ADOPTED REPRESENT A REASONABLE BALANCE BETWEEN PUBLIC SAFETY AND COST TO THE COMMUNITY.+
IN FOLLOWING THESE STANDARDS, HE WENT ON, DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN ENGINEERS SOMETIMES OCCURRED. IN SUCH INSTANCES APPEALS MIGHT ALWAYS BE MADE TO THE HEAD OF THE OFFICE WHO WOULD CONSIDER THEM SYMPATHETICALLY,
HOWEVER, MR MCDONALD REMINDED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THAT THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE CAME INTO BEING AS A DIRECT RESULT OF MAJOR DISASTERS SUCH AS THOSE AT PO SHAN ROAD AND SAU MAU PING AND HE WAS SURE THAT ALL WOULD AGREE THAT THE STANDARDS SET MUST ENSURE THAT SIMILAR TRAGIC EVENTS WOULD NOT RECUR IN FUTURE.
DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE, REFERENCES WERE MADE TO LAND RELATED MATTERS SUCH AS LAND PRODUCTION AND SALE, THE ROLE OF LAND SALES REVENUE IN THE FINANCING OF CAPITAL WORKS, THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROPERTY MARKET AND ITS FUTURE PROSPECTS.
ON LAND SALE, MR MCDONALD REJECTED THE MYTH THAT GOVERNMENT OPERATES A HIGH LAND PRICE POLICY.
+SUCH A POLICY HAS NEVER EXISTED AND DOES NOT EXIST NOW, HE SAID. +WE INTEND TO CONTINUE TO OFFER SITES FOR SALE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLISHED PROGRAMME AND TO ALLOW THE MARKET TO DECIDE WHEN AND WHERE TO BUY AND, WITHIN REASON, HOW MUCH TO PAY.
+WE ARE LOOKING FOR CLOSER CORRELATION BETWEEN SUPPLY OF AND DEMAND FOR LAND FOR ALL USES, REASONABLE VALUES AND PRICES AND REGULAR AND RELIABLE RATHER THAN SPASMODIC AND ASTRONOMICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CAPITAL WORKS RESERVE FUND.
IN OTHER WORDS, STABILITY. +
REFERRING TO THE POSITION OF LETTERS B IN THE LAND ACQUISITION AND RESUMPTION PROCESSES, MR MCDONALD SAID THAT THE OFFER OF A LETTER B WAS AN OPTION.
+A CASH ALTERNATIVE IS AVAILABLE AND IN RECENT MONTHS THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY ON THE PART OF MANY OF THESE INVOLVED TO CHOOSE CASH. WHETHER CHANGING CONDITIONS IN THE LAND MARKET AND THE RECENT RELATED ADJUSTMENTS IN LAND COMPENSATION LEVELS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL AFFECT THIS TREN REMAINS TO BE SEEN AND THE GOVERNMENT IS KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS.+
MR HU SUGGESTED THAT FRESH EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE THROUGH SPECIALLY DEVISED LAND DISPOSAL AND PRODUCTION SCHEMES TO ATTRACT THE PARTICIPATION OF HOLDERS OF LETTERS B.
IN REPLY, MR MCDONALD POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR, LETTER B HOLDERS HAD BEEN LESS READY THAN PREVIOUSLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPECIAL LAND SALES PROGRAMME AIMED AT THEM AND IT WAS BY NO MEANS CLEAR WHAT CHANGES IN MARKET CONDITIONS, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION, WOULD NEED TO OCCUR BEFORE SITES OFFERED WOULD ATTRACT BIDS FROM THEM.
/COMMENTING ON
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