XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 23

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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

IN DOING SO, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SAVE MONEY ON THE SUBSEQUENT TRAINING OF RECRUITS.

+ SECONDLY, TRAINED SOCIAL WORKERS BY VIRTUE OF THEIR TRAINING AND FIELD WORK PRACTICE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AS SOON AS THEY ARE ENGAGED. SO THAT THEY ARE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO RENDER TIMELY ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, + HE SAID.

MAJOR REVIEW OF HOUSING POLICIES NEEDED

*****

THE HON S.L. CHEN TODAY (THURSDAY) CALLED FOR A MAJOR REVIE OF EXISTING HOUSING POLICIES TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE FINANCIAL CAKE IS CORRECTLY AND FAIRLY DIVIDED TO SATISFY HONG KONG'S MANY PRESSING NEEDS.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE, MR CHEN RAISED DOUBTS OVER THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME AND WHETHER IT WAS FULFILLING ITS ORIGINAL AIM OF HELPING THOSE IN GENUINE NEED.

SO FAR, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT SEEM ABLE OR WILLING TO GRASP THE NETTLE AND COME UP WITH A POSITIVE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF WELL-OFF TENANTS OCCUPYING HEAVILY SUBSIDISED HOUSING ACCOMMODATION.

UNTIL THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN SATISFACTORILY RESOLVED, HE SAID, QUESTIONS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE ASKED WHETHER THE HOUSING SCHEME WAS FULFILLING ITS OBJECTIVE OF HELPING THE GENUINELY NEEDY.

+ON A BROADER FRONT, PEOPLE MIGHT EVEN DOUBT THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ON A SCALE WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIABLE IN THE PAST, BUT NOT NECESSARILY APPLICABLE NOWADAYS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING PER CAPITA INCOME WHICH HONG KONG HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE OVER THE YEARS,+ HE SAID.

MR CHEN QUERIED WHY LAND VALUES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE COST OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME, SAYING THAT THIS DID NOT MAKE COMMERCIAL SENSE.

IN HIS VIEW, THE TRUE COST OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME MUST COVER THREE PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, THE VALUE OF THE LAND, AND ADMINISTRATION OVERHEADS.

/WITHOUT CHESE,