XN000022-1985-01-23 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1985

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+THE ADMINISTRATION IS PLEASED WITH THE OPERATION OF THE EXISTING FIRE WATCH TEAMS,+ MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

+THEY HELP THE GOVERNMENT IN EDUCATING AND ADVISING LOCAL RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY HILLSIDE SQUATTERS, ON FIRE PREVENTION AND ON WAYS AND MEANS OF REDUCING POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS IN THEIR HOMES,+ HE ADDED.

THE STANDARD EQUIPMENT PROVIDED TO A NEWLY FORMED FIRE WATCH TEAM INCLUDES FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, SAND BUCKETS, ALARM GONGS, ARM-BANDS AND HANDBOOKS.

+THE FUNDS FOR PURCHASING EQUIPMENT FOR FIRE WATCH TEAMS AND THE IR REPLENISHMENT ARE PROVIDED BY DISTRICT OFFICES, ON THE ADVICE OF THE RELEVANT DISTRICT BOARD, MR AKERS-JONĖS SAID.

+EACH BOARD EXAMINES THE MERITS OF EACH APPLICATION AGAINST OTHER COMPETING CLAIMS, AND RECOMMENDS AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF GRANT, HE ADDED.

KWAI FONG ESTATE BLOCKS STRUCTURALLY SAFE+

*****

NONE OF THE 11 BLOCKS AT KWAI FONG ESTATE WERE STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE, ALTHOUGH SOME NEEDED EXTENSIVE REPAIRS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON DONALD LIAO, SAID TODAY.

HE SAID THAT INVESTIGATIONS HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT ON ALL BLOCKS IN THE ESTATE AND A PHASED PROGRAMME HAD BEEN DRAWN UP TO RENOVATE THOSE BLOCKS IN NEED OF REPAIR.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, HE SAID.

+1 CAN ASSURE TENANTS IN KWA! FONG ESTATE THAT NONE OF THE BLOCKS THEY ARE OCCUPYING ARE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION.

+IN A FEW CASES WHERE IT IS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE TO REDEVELOP RATHER THAN TO RENOVATE BLOCKS, THIS WILL BE DONE.+

MR LIAO SAID BLOCKS 1, 2 AND 3 WOULD REQUIRE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED IN BUILDINGS OF THAT AGE. WORK HAD ALREADY STARTED ON THIS.

+BLOCKS 4, 7 AND 8 REQUIRE MORE EXTENSIVE REPAIRS WHICH ARE ALREADY IN HAND, WHILE BLOCK 6 WAS IN NEED OF MAJOR RENOVATION AND REPAIRS WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED BY MAY THIS YEAR.

+THE OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN TAKEN TO BRING THE BLOCK UP TO PRESENT DAY STANDARDS WITH UPGRADED SERVICES INCLUDING COMPLETE REWIRING, IMPROVED DRAINAGE AND A COMMUNAL TV AERIAL SYSTEM, + HE SAID.

/FROM EXPERIENCE