XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 30

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

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CHAIRED BY THE HON F.K. HU, THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE WAS SET UP TO STUDY THE QUESTION IN DEPTH AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING WIDE-RANGING PUBLIC CONSULTATION LAST YEAR WHEN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY REVIEWED ITS ALLOCATION POLICY.

MR FORD STRESSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT ANY ACTION TAKEN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF BETTER-OFF TENANTS COULD HAVE FAR-REACHIN IMPLICATIONS, INVOLVING THAT SECTOR OF COMMUNITY WHICH HAD FOR MANY DECADES PROVIDED THE POWER-HOUSE OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY.

+NOTHING WE DO NOW THEREFORE SHOULD PUT AT RISK THE SENSE OF SECURITY AND WELL-BEING WHICH RESULTS FROM THE CERTAINTY OF HAVING A ROOF OVER ONE'S HEAD AND A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO LIVE, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, MR FORD SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE IT WAS EQUITABLE THAT WELL-OFF HOUSING TENANTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY, AS THEY HAD FOR SO LONG, THE HEAVILY SUBSIDISED RENTS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

+THEY PAY A VERY SMALL PROPORTION OF THEIR INCOME USUALLY NOT MORE THAN 10 PER CENT FOR THEIR FLATS AND I BELIEVE IT IS A GENERALLY ACCEPTED VIEW OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE THAT THEY COULD BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE A FAIRER SHARE OF INCOME TOWARDS THE IR OWN HOUSING.+

TO ENCOURAGE TENANTS TO MOVE TO HOS FLATS, HE SAID SOME CHANGES IN POLICIES HAD BEEN MADE, WHICH HAD HAD SOME SUCCESS WITH OVER 21 000 RENTAL FLATS HAVING BEEN VACATED AS A RESULT SO FAR.

HOWEVER, HE WARNED THAT THE RESERVOIR OF TENANTS PREPARED TO DO SO WAS LIMITED BECAUSE THE INCREASED FINANCIAL COMMITMENT INVOLVED COULD STILL PRESENT A PROBLEM,

+I DO NOT BELIEVE THEREFORE THAT CARROTS SHOULD BE OFF THE MENU FOREVER ALTHOUGH I ACCEPT JUDICIOUS USE OF THE STICK BY WAY OF HIGHER RENT FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD THEM MAY PROVE NECESSARY.

+FOR THIS REASON ALTHOUGH I LISTENED WITH GREAT INTEREST TO MR WONG LAM'S SPEECH, I AM RELUCTANT TO PURSUE IN THE SHORT TERM HIS SUGGESTION THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE AN ELEMENT OF LAND VALUE IN THE PRICE OF HOS FLATS.

+ I BELIEVE WE SHOULD AIM AT FURTHER INCREASING THE NUMBER OF TENANTS WHO ARE PREPARED TO PURCHASE HOS, SO THAT THE HIGH LEVEL OF PRODUCTION OF PUBLIC RENTAL HOUSING COULD BE REDUCED IN THE LONG TERM.+

HE STRONGLY SUPPORTED A POINT BY MR F.K. HU THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TOWARDS THE COST OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME.

THE HOUSING

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