XN000022-1988-03-16 — Page 39

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1988

MR HUI NOTED THAT WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE SECRETARY HOUSING WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY ANSWERABLE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MONITORING FUNCTION OF THE OMELCO HOUSING PANEL HAD ALSO UNDERMINED.

FOR

THE

BEEN

OF

HE SAID IT WOULD SEEM NECESSARY FOR A NEW CHANNEL COMMUNICATION TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR LEGCO MEMBERS TO MAKE ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ACTIVITIES AND TO CONDUCT OPEN HEARINGS WHEREVER NECESSARY.

GREATER

" IDEALLY, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD EVENTUALLY BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS COUNCIL WHICH SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY WHICH IS NOW CONFINED ΤΟ ENDORSING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ANNUAL REPORTS," HE SAID.

COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HOUSING UNCHANGED

THE HOUSING AMENDMENT BILL 1988 IS AIMED AT INCREASING THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO FULFIL ITS FUNCTIONS AND TO ACCOMPLISH THE LONG TERM HOUSING STRATEGY, THE HON EDWARD HO SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN

THE BILL INTRODUCED AMENDMENTS ΤΟ THE HOUSING ORDINANCE IN RESPECT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S ESTABLISHMENT AND CONSTITUTION AND OTHER MATTERS, HE NOTED WHEN SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS DID NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY MUST ABIDE BY THE POLICIES IN HOUSING THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THIS WAS NO DIFFERENT UNDER THE HOUSING ORDINANCE AS AT PRESENT.

MR HO REFERRED TO SUGGESTIONS BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THE REORGANISATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS AN INDICATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD DIMINISH ITS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HOUSING.

HE STRESSED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE BILL OR IN THE PROPOSED REORGANISATION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO SUGGEST THAT THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.

TERM

"ON THE CONTRARY, IT IS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT THE LONG HOUSING STRATEGY WILL ENHANCE THE SCOPE OF OUR HOUSING PROGRAMME," MR HỌ SAID.

/THE MAIN