XN000022-1983-03-24 — Page 8

THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1983

TIMING OF RATEABLE VALUE REVIEW QUESTIONED

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THE TIMING FOR THE REVIEW OF RATEABLE VALUES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS QUESTIONED TODAY IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HONG BENTON CHEUNG.

+ IT IS STATUTORY THAT THE OCCUPANT AND NOT THE OWNER MUST PAY THE RATES.

+AS IT IS, THE GENERAL RATE PERCENTAGE FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL BE INCREASED BY 2-1/2 PER CENT, FROM 11 PER CENT TO 13-1/2 PER CENT, WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, THIS YEAR.

+ON TOP OF WHICH RENT MAY SOON BE FURTHER DECONTROLLED, THUS REDUCING AND EVENTUALLY REMOVING THAT LITTLE PROTECTION THERE IS FOR TENANTS'.

+ IN ADDITION, RATES ARE TO BE CALCULATED ON NEW RATEABLE VALUES AS FROM APRIL 1984, + HE SAID.

MR CHEUNG POINTED OUT THAT MOST NEWLY-SETTLED NEW TERRITORIES RESIDENTS COMMUTE TO THE URBAN AREAS DAILY FOR WORK AND, DUE TO INADEQUATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, MANY RESIDENTS DRIVE AND THIS TOO IS NOW MORE EXPENSIVE.

+WHETHER THESE FACTORS WILL DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM SETTLING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT THEY DO APPEAR TO RUN CONTRARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVE OF MOVING PEOPLE AWAY FROM URBAN CENTRES, HE SAID.

TURNING TO PUBLIC HOUSING, MR CHEUNG POINTED OUT THAT BY WORLD STANDARDS, HONG KONG HAD ACHIEVED WONDERS IN HOUSING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. WE HAVE BEEN GETTING THE JOB DONE FOR YEARS NOW, BUILDING AT LEAST 35 000 UNITS ANNUALLY.

+ABOUT 30 000 OF THESE UNITS FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF LOW COST PUBLIC HOUSING, THE REMAINDER BEING HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS,+ HE SAID,

HOWEVER, MR CHEUNG CALLED FOR A COMPLETE RE-EVALUATION OF THE HOUSING PRIORITIES WITH THE PROVISION OF MORE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PEOPLE AND LESS EMPHASIS ON LOW COST RENTAL UNITS.+

+ IN HONG KONG, WHERE MANY ARE TRANSIENT, I BELIEVE IT IS

HOWEVER VITAL TO FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING. TO OWN A HOME, HUMBLE, IS TO BELONG SOMEWHERE. IT IS A SOURCE OF ACHIEVEMENT, OF PRIDE, AND MOST IMPORTANT, A SOURCE OF SECURITY AND COMMITMENT.

+TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES, WE MUST TRY TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE WHO CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG IS DENIED THE RIGHT, NOT THE PRIVILEGE BUT THE RIGHT, OF OWNING A HOME.

+1 FEFER IN PARTICULAR TO THAT SECTOR OF THE POPULATION SO WELL DESCRIBED BY MY HON FRIEND, MR LOBO, AS THE 'SANDWICHED SOCIETY'. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEITHER RICH NOR POOR, SUT I VENTURE TO SAY, THEY ARE INDEED TAXED.

- PERSONAL