XN000022-1991-02-27 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1991

- 1

SHW ON BEDSPACE APARTMENTS

IS THE SPRECH BY THE

DEBATE

THE FOLLOWING

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, IN THE

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON BEDSPACE APARTMENTS ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY

27,

AND

1991.

SIR,

I SUPPORT THE CALL THAT URGENT ACTION IS REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE BLACKSPOT OF HONG KONG'S VERSION OF A MODERN-DAY "BIDONVILLE" IN OUR GLITTERING CITY. THE COMMONALTY OF THEME, OF VIEWS, WHICH HAVE EMERGED IN THE DEBATE HIGHLIGHTS A SOCIAL AWARENESS; A CRYING NEED FOR REFORM; AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO COPE ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT A NETWORK OF SUPPORT THROUGH OUTSIDE INTERVENTION.

THE QUESTION OF LIVING CONDITION OR THE SHELTER ISSUE, IS NOT SIMPLY ONE OF POVERTY. URBANISATION AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC POLICIES ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON LIVING CONDITIONS. URBANISATION CAN BE AN ENGINE FOR GROWTH AND AN INCUBATOR FOR INNOVATION IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT.

WHILST PLEDGING MY OWN SUPPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THIS COUNCIL MEASURES TAKEN BY MY BRANCH FOR INSTANCE. I SHALL DEFER TO THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS TO ELABORATE ON THE BROADER ISSUR OF HOUSING, LICENCE AND CONTROL AND FINDINGS OF A RECENTLY COMPLETED TERRITORY-WIDE SURVEY ON BEDSPACE APARTMENTS AND THEIR LODGERS.

AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP CHAIRED BY MY BRANCH, WHICH FIRST STUDIED THE PROBLEM, INDEED SOME MONTHS, REACHED A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT CONCLUSIONS. THE FIRST OF THESE WAS THAT:

(A)

PRIVATE ADD AT

THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS AND CONTINUING NEED FOR LOW-COST RENTAL ACCOMMODATION IN THE URBAN AREAS, AND I MIGHT RENTS RESIDENTS CAN AFFORD, AVOIDING SOCIAL DISLOACTION AND PREFERABLY IN LOCALITIES OF THEIR CHOICE AND AT STANDARDS COMPATIBLE WITH MODERN HONG KONG; AND

MORE

(B)

THERE WAS A CLEAR DUTY ON GOVERNMENT'S PART TO ERADICATE unsafe AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS IN SUCH APARTMENTS AND, AS APPROPRIATE, TO IMPROVE HYGIENE AND LIVING STANDARDS.

HOWEVER, ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE SUCH CHANGES IN A NUMBER OF PILOT SCHEMES REVEALED THERE WOULD BE MAJOR DIFFICULTIES IN ACHIEVING THESE OBJECTIVES UNDER EXISTING LEGISLATIVE AND ENFORCEMENT ARRANGEMENTS. THE MOST APPROPRIATE SOLUTION APPEARED TO BE, AND INCLUDING THE INTRODUCTION OF A SPECIFIC LICENSING SCHEME COVERING ALL BEDSPACE APARTMENTS.

/SOCIAL WORKERS