XN000022-1982-05-05 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1982

CLAIMS OF VILLAGERS EXHAUSTIVELY RE-EXAMINED

****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS EXHAUSTIVELY RE-EXAMINED THE CLAIMS OF 39 FAMILIES AT KIK YEUNG VILLAGE AT YUEN LONG WHO WISHED TO BE GIVEN NEW SITES AND SPECIAL COMPENSATION, BUT HAS CONFIRMED THAT ALL WERE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY DOMESTIC STRUCTURES ON CROWN LAND LICENCES AND SO DO NOT HAVE ANY ENTITLEMENTS APART FROM RE-HOUSING.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT MOST OF THESE AND OTHER KIK YEUNG VILLAGE FAMILIES WOULD GO TO THE RECENTLY BUILT SHUT PIN WAI ESTATE, WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE VILLAGE, WHILE OTHERS WITH LESSER RE-HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS WOULD BE GIVEN UNITS IN TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS, MAINLY IN YUEN LONG DISTRICT.

THE SITUATION WAS FULLY EXPLAINED TODAY TO VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES AND ABOUT 50 VILLAGERS BY THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT OFFICER, MR K.K. FUNG, WHO TOLD THE VILLAGERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE KIK YEUNG CLEARANCE ON JUNE 10.

THE CLEARED SITE WILL BE USED FOR A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE FOR 21 000 PEOPLE.

THE CLEARANCE WAS POSTPONED LAST MONTH TO ENABLE THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED TO LOOK INTO THE VILLAGERS' CLAIMS FOR RESITES AND SPECIAL COMPENSATION.

MR FUNG URGED THE 39 FAMILIES, WHO HAVE SO FAR REFUSED TO BE SCREENED BY THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH THEIR RE-HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS, TO COME FORWARD FOR EARLY REGISTRATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

THE CLEARANCE INVOLVES ALTOGETHER 343 STRUCTURES OCCUPIED

BY 243 FAMILIES COMPRISING 1 070 PEOPLE.

RE-HOUSING ARRANGEMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE FOR 868 PEOPLE FROM 204 FAMILIES, MOST OF WHOM WILL GO TO SHUI PIN WAI ESTATE.

MR FUNG SAID THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN SET UP TO LOOK INTO INDIVIDUAL HARDSHIP CASES.

FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE REMAINING 39 FAMILIES, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS ARRANGED A TEAM OF OFFICERS TO WORK FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE TO DEAL WITH LATE REGISTRATION MATTERS AND LATER ANOTHER TEAM TO CONDUCT PRE-LETTING INTERVIEWS.

IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO PROVIDE TRANSPORT TO ASSIST THE VILLAGERS TO MOVE TO THE IR NEW HOMES.

ALSO ON HAND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS IN TODAY'S MEETING CONVENED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE WERE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HOUSING (CLEARANCE), MA GREGORY CHAN, AND THE YUEN LONG DISTRICT LANDS OFFICER, MR THOMAS HC.