XN000022-1982-11-16 — Page 2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1982

40 000 PUBLIC HOUSING FLATS A YEAR: GOVERNOR

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PUBLIC HOUSING PRODUCTION FOR 1982-83 TO 1986-87 IS FORECAST TO BE 203 000 FLATS OR AN AVERAGE OF OVER 40 000 PER YEAR, AND CURRENT PLANS EXTEND WELL BEYOND THAT.

THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID THIS TODAY WHILE OFFICIALLY OPENING MEI LAM ESTATE - THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S 106TH RENTAL ESTATE AND THE FIFTH IN SHA TIN NEW TOWN.

HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN A CONSIDERABLE RATE OF HOUSING PRODUCTION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT MUCH REMAINED TO BE DONE, AND HE REITERATED THAT EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO MAINTAIN THE MOMENTUM FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

AT THE SAME TIME, SIR EDWARD SAID THE GROWING DEMAND OF RESIDENTS FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF THE ACCOMMODATION HAD NOT BEEN OVERLOOKED.

+OVER THE YEARS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS BEEN STEADILY IMPROVING THE DESIGN AND STANDARDS OF THEIR NEW ESTATES IN TERMS OF SERVICES AND FINISH.

+ME | LAM IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHICH EVERY ONE CONCERNED CAN BE PROUD.+

THE GOVERNOR SAID TENANTS OF OLDER ESTATES HAD NOT BEEN NEGLECTED EITHER AND A REAL EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO UPGRADE THEM TOO.

+THE OBJECTIVE OF YOUR GOVERNMENT IS THE PROVISION OF DECENT SELF-CONTAINED ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL WHO NEED IT IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID, ADDING THAT IT COULD BE ACHIEVED BY SUSTAINED EFFORT.

HE PAID TRIBUTE TO HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF WITHOUT WHOM THE REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HOUSING PROGRAMME WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE+.

IN HIS WELCOME SPEECH, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, MR DONALD LIAO, SAID MEI LAM WAS A PLEASING REMINDER THAT PROFESSIONAL TALENT AND HARD WORK COULD PRODUCE THE GOODS, AND MORE AND MORE OF ITS KIND WERE BEING PRODUCED IN VARIOUS PLACES OF THE TERRITORY.

+WE ARE CONSCIOUS THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL MORE TO BE DONE, BUT WE ARE VASTLY ENCOURAGED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT LEVEL OF PRODUCTION AS WELL AS THE PRESENT HIGH STANDARDS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME,+ HE SAID.

ON ARRIVAL AT MEI LAM, SIR EDWARD ACCOMPANIED BY LADY YOUDE AND MR LIAO, WAS GREETED BY THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, MR BERNARD WILLIAMS; CHAIRMAN OF THE AUTHORITY'S BUILDING COMMITTEE, MR H.M.G. FORSGATE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, MR T.C. LO.

/AFTER UNVEILING