XN000022-1985-12-11 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985

ON THE GREEN PAPER ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS. HE SAID THAT THE THREE-MONTH PUBLIC CONSULTATION FROM AUGUST TO OCTOBER WAS A VALUABLE EXERCISE IN THAT A WIDE CROSS- SECTION OF VIEWS AND COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED, AND DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD IN ALL 19 DISTRICT BOARDS AND WITH MANY INTEREST GROUPS, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES, ORGANISATIONS AND ACADEMICS.

HE SAID THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD ON DECEMBER 5

CONSIDERED THE REPORT AND RE-AFFIRMED ITS SUPPORT TO THE PRINCIPLE.

+ IT, HOWEVER, ASKED THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO RE- CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING PROPOSALS IN THE LIGHT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND TO EXAMINE OTHER PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES, HE SAID.

IN DUE COURSE, HE SAID, THE COMMITTEE'S REVISED PROPOSALS OR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MIGHT THEN WISH TO DEBATE THE ISSUE PRIOR TO SUBMISSION TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

ON SQUATTER AREA IMPROVEMENTS, HE SAID THAT THE PROBLEM OF ILLEGAL TAPPING OF WATER AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLY WAS BEING TACKLED ON THREE FRONTS.

* PROVISION OF A LEGAL SUPPLY,

* ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST ILLEGAL TAPPING ACTIVITIES, AND

EDUCATION OF RESIDENTS.

*

MR PANG SAID THAT IT WAS THE PRACTICE TO IMMEDIATELY DEMOLISH SQUATTER STRUCTURES AFTER THE IR OCCUPANTS HAD OBTAINED PUBLIC HOUSING THROUGH THE WAITING LIST.

+BUT PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES ARE SOMETIMES ENCOUNTERED WHERE THE STRUCTURE IS SHARED BY OTHER FAMILIES, OR WHEN THE SAFETY OF ADJOINING HUTS MAY BE AFFECTED, HE SAID.

IN SUCH CASES, HE SAID, SUITABLE MEASURES WOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT A NEW SQUATTER FAMILY FROM MOVING IN.

+THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO PROBLEMS RELATED TO SQUATTER AREAS LIES IN THE CLEARANCE OF SUCH AREAS. THE 10-YEAR PROGRAMME TO CLEAR AND REHOUSE ALL SQUATTERS IN THE URBAN AREAS HAS STARTED,+ MR PANG SAID.

WITH NEW PUBLIC HOUSING BECOMING AVAILABLE ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON FOR REHOUSING USE. HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE WORST CONCENTRATIONS OF SQUATTERS IN THE URBAN AREA COULD BE CLEARED BY THE EARLY 1990'S.

ON THE EXTENDED REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, MR PANG ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAD BEEN ACTING IN A QUICK AND RESPONSIBLE MANNER IN TACKLING THE INHERITED PROBLEM.

/+THESE BLOCKS

I.