XN000022-1986-03-27 — Page 36

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THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1986

MR CHEUNG FELT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD VIGOROUSLY PURSUE THE POLICY OF PROVIDING ITS OWN OFFICE ACCOMMODATION AS THE CAPITAL OUTLAY WOULD BE RECOVERED IN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME.

'I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BRINGING FORWARD BY ONE OR TWO YEARS THE TARGET OF PROVIDING 70 HER CENT OF OUR OFFICE SPACE,+ HE SAID.

+PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE EVEN MORE AMBITIOUS, AS IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT QUARTERS, TO PURCHASE SOME OFFICES WE ARE NOW RENTING AS A FURTHER MEANS OF CUTTING DOWN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE,+ HE SAID.

MR CHEUNG ALSO SAID HE FELT UNEASY ABOUT THE LACK OF DEVELOPMENT AND PROVISION OF SOME BASIC FACILITIES IN THE OLDER PARTS OF HONG KONG, IN PARTICULAR WESTERN DISTRICT.

THERE WERE PLANS TO IMPROVE THE AREA AS A WHOLE BUT PROGRESS WAS FAR FROM SATISFACTORY, HE SAID,

+CERTAINLY WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE PLANS FOR THIS DISTRICT ONCE AGAIN AND, IN PARTICULAR, TO RESITE THE VEGETABLE WHOLESALE MARKET, THE POULTRY AND FRUIT LAANS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BY UTILISING BALANCES IN THE CAPITAL WORKS RESERVE FUND.+

HE ALSO SAID THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT BE ABLE TO EMBARK ON A MORE AMBITIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMME NOW THAT THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES WAS UNDER CONTROL AND THERE WAS A DECLINE IN THE PROLIFERATION OF SQUATTERS ON HILLSIDES.

HE OBSERVED THAT THE HOUSING POLICY HAD BEEN QUANTITY-ORIENTED AND SAID WE MUST NOT BE COMPLACENT WITH WHAT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.

MR CHEUNG SAID REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS MUST BE SPEEDED UP IN ORDER TO EASE QUICKLY OVER CROWDING IN SOME ESTATES.

+ LET US NOT BE CONTENT WITH MAINTAINING STABILITY. TAKE ONE MORE BRAVE BUT SURE STEP WHICH WILL BRING FURTHER PROSPERITY, HE CONCLUDED.

LET US

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