XN000022-1984-04-25 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1984

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+1 CAN ASSURE MEMBERS THAT THIS WILL BE ACTIVELY PURSUED WITH A VIEW TO ENSURING THAT IN THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF WORKS (INCLUDING LAND PRODUCTION) WE CONCENTRATE ON THOSE PROJECTS WHICH DESERVE HIGH PRIORITY WHICH ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALREADY- APPROVED GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES AND WHICH CAN BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN AVAILABLE RESOURCES, MR CHAN SAID.

REFERRING TO A POINT MADE BY MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG ON LAND ADMINISTRATION, MR CHAN SAID A CASE COULD BE MADE FOR A NEW SURVEY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES, BUT THIS WOULD BE A MASSIVE AND DIFFICULT UNDERTAKING.

THE LANDS DEPARTMENT WAS TACKLING THE PROBLEM MAINLY BY WORKING ON RECTIFICATION IN AREAS AS NEW GRANTS WERE MADE AND THIS WOULD RESULT IN THE GRADUAL EXTENSION OF MUCH MORE ACCURATE RECORDS.

ON MR CHEUNG'S OTHER POINT THAT THE LANDS DEPARTMENT SHOULD MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY IN ITS APPROACH, MR CHAN SAID THIS WAS CERTAINLY THE INTENTION AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS BEING ACHIEVED.

MR CHAN SAID FLEXIBILITY MUST HAVE ITS LIMITS, OTHERWISE THERE WAS A RISK OF ABUSE.

LAND OWNERS HELD THEIR LAND UNDER LEASE CONDITIONS WHICH MUST BE ADHERED TO.

WITHIN THESE CONDITIONS, LEGAL RIGHTS WOULD BE MAINTAINED AND EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT SENSIBLE SOLUTIONS WERE FOUND TO ANY PROBLEMS HICH MAY ARISE.

ON MRS. PAULINE NG'S SUGGESTION THAT PROVISION UNDER THE ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S STREET LIGHTING VOTE SHOULD INCLUDE THE LIGHTING OF SQUATTER AREAS, MR CHAN SAID LIGHTING IN THESE AREAS WAS BEING PROVIDED WITHIN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT'S SQUATTER AREA IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME AND BOTH THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS OF THIS WERE BEING PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAMME, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL EARLY LAST YEAR AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $300 MILLION, WAS A +ROLLING+ PROGRAMME OF WORKS AND OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IMPROVEMENTS TO ABOUT 80 AREAS WOULD BE CARRIED OUT, INCLUDING THE PROVISIONING OF PUBLIC LIGHTING.

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