XN000022-1983-03-24 — Page 17

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PHURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1983

BUT HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUPPLY OF THESE UNITS SINCE THE PUSPAMME RESTARTED IN 1978 WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN THE ACTUAL DEMAND IN THE SAME PERIOD.

+WITH ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF SMALL FACTORY UNITS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AT PRESENT AND DECLINING DEMAND ON PUBLIC ONES, THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLATTED FACTORIES, WHICH WILL NOT ONLY INCUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BUT ALSO FURTHER INCREASE THE RECURRENT OPERATION DEFICIT OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.

CONSIDERATION SHOULD ALSO BE GIVEN TO RELAX THE CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING ELIGIBILITY FOR SUCH UNITS TO REDUCE VACANCIES AND RECURRENT DEFICIT, HE ADDED.

TURNING TO THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, MR HU REITERATED HIS SUGGESTION GIVEN IN THE COUNCIL IN PREVIOUS YEARS THAT THE RATIO OF HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS TO RENTAL UNITS SHOULD BE INCREASED GRADUALLY TO 50 PER CENT, OR EVEN 70 PER CENT, IN FUTURE.

+PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ENCOURAGE EXISTING TENANTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES TO TAKE UP HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS IN ORDER TO CREATE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF VACANT RENTAL UNITS FOR NEW ALLOCATION SO THAT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTAL UNITS WILL NOT BE REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME.

+MANY PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE TENANTS NOW SPEND $20 000 OR MORE IN DECORATING THEIR UNITS, THIS SUM COULD EASILY COVER THE INITIAL DOWN PAYMENT OF HOME OWNERSHIP UNITS.+

HE ALSO EXPRESSED THE BELIEF THAT THIS WORTHWHILE AIM COULD EE ACHIEVED AND ADDITIONAL REVENUE GENERATED IF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME WERE FURTHER EXPANDED AS THE DEVELOPERS WERE COMMITTED TO SUPPLY THE ACCOMMODATION AT PRE-DETERMINED PRICES AND TO PAY FOR THE ANCILLARY COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.

REFERRING TO THE STUDENT TRAVEL SCHEME, MR HU SAID IT SHOULD AIM AT ASSISTING STUDENTS GOING TO SCHOOL FROM HOME AND RETURNING HOME FROM SCHOOL DURING NORMAL SCHOOL DAYS.

BUT HE QUERIED WHETHER THEIR TRAVEL FOR OTHER PURPOSES, SUCH AS SIGHTSEEING, LEISURE PURSUIT, VISITING FRIENDS, SHOULD BE SUBSIDISED BY PUBLIC FUNDS.

HE URGED THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO GRANTING DIRECT SUBSIDY TO STUDENTS THROUGH THEIR SCHOOLS UPON APPLICATION SUCH A SUBSIDY WOULD BE BASED ON THE STUDENTS' EXPENDITURE ON TRAVELLING.

THIS WOULD ENABLE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS TO RECEIVE FULL FARES FROM STUDENTS WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF SURVEY, CHECKING CR EVEN ARBITRATION.

MR HU ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION SYSTEM AND CONGRATULATED THE GOVERNMENT ON ITS SUCCESS.