XN000022-1985-04-13 — Page 14

SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1985

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SPECIAL REPROVISIONING ARRANGEMENTS

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THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED SPECIAL REPROVISIONING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SHOP TENANTS AFFECTED BY THE REDEVELOPMENT OF KWAI FONG ESTATE.

THEY WILL EACH BE GRANTED AN EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE EQUIVALENT TO 12 MONTHS' CURRENT RENT UPON THE SURRENDER OF THEIR EXISTING TENANCIES.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUTHORITY SAID BLOCKS 9, 10 AND 11 OF KWAI FONG WILL BE REDEVELOPED AFTER MID-1987. A TOTAL OF 20 SHOPS, TWO CLINICS, 33 SHOPSTALLS IN A MARKET AND A CHINESE RESTAURANT WILL BE AFFECTED.

UNDER THE TERMS OF THEIR EXISTING TENANCY AGREEMENTS, THESE SHOP PREMISES AT KWAI FONG ARE LEASED AT COMMERCIAL RENT FOR A FIXED TERM OF THREE YEARS. THE TENANCY CAN BE TERMINATED WITHOUT COMPENSATION BY EITHER PARTY GIVING THREE-MONTHS' NOTICE TO THE OTHER.

+ HOWEVER, THE AUTHORITY'S MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS AFTER A LENGTHY DISCUSSION, TOOK THE VIEW THAT KWAI FONG SHOULD BE TREATED AS A SPECIAL CASE AND DECIDED TO GRANT EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE TO ALL SHOP TENANTS CONCERNED, INCLUDING THE MAJORITY WHOSE TENANCIES WILL EXPIRE BEFORE THE BLOCKS ARE REQUIRED FOR DEMOLITION.+

UNDER THE NEW RULING, THE SPOKESMAN CITED AS EXAMPLES THE EX-GRATIA ALLOWANCE OF $5 746 TO $30 000 FOR MARKET STALLS, $72 000 FOR A PROVISION STORE, $176 700 FOR A CAFE AND $498 840 FOR THE ONLY CHINESE RESTAURANT.

+ IN ADDITION, TO ASSIST THESE OPERATORS IN RE-ESTABLISHING THEIR BUSINESSES. THEY WILL ALSO BE GIVEN A CONCESSION TO TAKE PART IN RESTRICTED TENDERS FOR SHOPS/SHOPSTALLS IN THE SAME ESTATE OR IN OTHER ESTATES.

+A CERTAIN NUMBER OF NEW SHOP PREMISES AT CONVERTED TAI WO HAU ESTATE WONG TAI SIN ESTATE AND LOK WAH ESTATE HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR RESTRICTED TENDERING BY THE SHOP TENANTS OF KWAI FONG.

+FURTHERMORE, THE CURRENT RENT FOR THEIR EXISTING PREMISES WILL BE FROZEN AND ANY STAGED ANNUAL RENT INCREASES, EVEN IF AGREED, WILL NO LONGER BE IMPLEMENTED,+ HE SAID.

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