XN000022-1986-10-08 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1986

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+THE COMMITTEE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE SUGGESTION THAT MORE PROSPEROUS TENANTS SHOULD BE EVICTED.-

THE COMMITTEE SET UP TO REVIEW DOMESTIC RENT POLICY

IN PUBLIC HOUSING HAD CONCLUDED THAT A MAXIMUM OF 15 PER CENT OF THE MEDIAN INCOME OF NEW TENANTS SHOULD BE USED AS A GUIDELINE IN DETERMINING RENTS FOR NEW ESTATES.

SIR EDWARD SAID BOTH REPORTS, PUBLISHED BY THE TWO COMMITTEES LAST MONTH, WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IN NOVEMBER.

ON SQUATTER AREA IMPROVEMENT, THE GOVERNOR SAID SATISFACTORY PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR PUBLIC HOUSING TARGETS HAD ENABLED A START TO BE MADE ON A COMPREHENSIVE 10-YEAR PROGRAMME TO CLEAR AND REHOUSE FAMILIES LIVING IN URBAN SQUATTER AREAS AND A MAJOR CLEARANCE IN THE SHAU KEI WAN AREA WOULD BE CARRIED OUT SOON.

HE ADDED THAT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF MANY SQUATTER AREAS HAD BEEN ACHIEVED AS A RESULT OF THE PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN 1983. THESE INCLUDED THE PROVISION OF BETTER DRAINAGE, WATER SUPPLY, FOOTPATHS, STREET LIGHTING AND FIRE FIGHTING AND REFUSE COLLECTION ARRANGEMENTS.

ON NEW TOWNS, SIR EDWARD SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS CONTINUED WITH EXPENDITURE AT THE RATE OF AROUND $3 BILLION A YEAR.

HE SAID WORK HAD STARTED ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO NEW

TOWNS AT JUNK BAY AND TIN SHUI WAI.

THE FIRST STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT AT JUNK BAY WOULD ACCOMMODATE 75 000 PEOPLE IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND 48 000 PEOPLE IN PRIVATE HOUSING, WITH THE FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING INTAKE EXPECTED IN EARLY 1987.

WORK ON THE JUNK BAY TUNNEL, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE PRIMARY MEANS OF ACCESS TO THE NEW TOWN, WOULD START LATER THIS YEAR.

AT TIN SHUI WAI, SIR EDWARD SAID PREPARATORY WORK CONTINUED AND THE NEW TOWN WAS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE ITS FIRST RESIDENTS IN THE EARLY 1990'S.

+THE GOVERNMENT HAS SO FAR COMMITTED $130 MILLION ON PLANNING, INVESTIGATION, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WORKS. TENDERS FOR WORK VALUED AT SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WILL BE INVITED IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, TO SUPPORT THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OVER 145 000 PEOPLE.+

SIR EDWARD SAID HONG KONG HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN CREATING NEW TOWNS AND IN REDEVELOPING THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, BUT LESS SUCCESSFUL IN REDEVELOPING SOME OF THE OLDER AREAS WHOSE DILAPIDATED CONDITION WAS NO CREDIT TO THIS CITY.

/+THE DECISION