XN000022-1989-10-30 — Page 9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30. 1989

DWELLING BOAT CLEARANCE COMPLETED IN YAU MA TEI

THE CLEARANCE OF DWELLING BOATS FROM THE YAU MA ΤΕΙ TYPHOON SHELTER CAME TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION THIS (MONDAY) MORNING WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE LAST TWO DILAPIDATED HOUSE-BOATS.

THE SHELTER IS NOW OUT OF BOUNDS FOR DWELLING BOATS FOLLOWING AN AMENDMENT MADE ON JULY 7 THIS YEAR UNDER THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL ORDINANCE.

THE CLEARANCE WAS AIMED AT IMPROVING THE LIVING ENVIRONMENT

OF HOUSE-BOAT DWELLERS AND MAKING ROOM FOR AN INCREASING NUMBER OF STEEL LIGHTERS ENGAGED IN INTERNATIONAL OR ENTREPOT TRADE.

IT HAS REMOVED FROM THE SHELTER A LONG-STANDING EYE-SORE POSED BY SHABBY DWELLING BOATS.

THE FORMER HOUSE-BOAT DWELLERS ARE NOW LIVING IN THEIR NEW HOMES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES OR TEMPORARY HOUSING AREAS.

THE PROBLEM POSED BY DWELLING BOATS IN THE TYPHOON SHELTER DATED BACK SEVERAL YEARS.

AREA

ON APRIL 13, 1983, THE SHELTER WAS DECLARED A PRESCRIBED FOR DWELLING BOATS UPON THE ENACTMENT OF THE SHIPPING AND PORT CONTROL (DWELLING VESSELS) REGULATIONS. A TOTAL OF 539 VESSELS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY LICENSED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT AS HOUSE-BOATS UNDER

THE REGULATIONS.

HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS, A NUMBER OF WORKING BOATS WERE MOORED IN THE SHELTER AND USED AS UNLICENSED DWELLING BOATS.

1

SINCE SEPTEMBER 1984. THREE VOLUNTARY REHOUSING EXERCISES FOR LICENSED BOAT DWELLERS HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT, AND. AS A RESULT. THE BOAT DWELLING POPULATION WAS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY. HOWEVER, THERE REMAINED A PROBLEM RELATING MAINLY TO UNLICENSED DWELLERS.

IN

NOVEMBER 1988, AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL GROUP, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE DISTRICT OFFICER FOR YAU TSIM, WAS SET UP TO CO-ORDINATE THE CLEARANCE OF ALL DWELLING VESSELS.

YAU TSIM

WELFARE,

THE WORKING GROUP COMPRISED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DISTRICT OFFICE, THE MARINE, HOUSING, LABOUR, SOCIAL EDUCATION AND IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE MARINE POLICE.

THE YAU TSIM DISTRICT BOARD HAD BEEN

CLEARANCE, AND GIVEN ITS STRONG SUPPORT,

-

CONSULTED ON THE

THIS MORNING'S MOPPING-UP EXERCISE WAS WATCHED BY THREE SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR TONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR DAVID LAN, THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, MR FREDDY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MARINE. MR IAN STRACHAN,

PANG,

AND.

/THEY EXPRESSED