XN000022-1992-01-15 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1992

PLAN TO EASE BEDSPACE APARTMENT OVERCROWDING MAKING HEADWAY

* * * * *

THE ACTION PLAN TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF OVERCROWDING IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS IS MAKING HEADWAY, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

YIN-FAT, MR IS

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI SUEN STRESSED THAT THE KEY FACTOR IN ANY SUCCESSFUL ACTION PLAN THE SETTING UP OF SUFFICIENT URBAN HOSTELS FOR THOSE TO BE DECANTED FROM OVERCROWDED BEDSPACE APARTMENTS.

FOR THIS REASON, IT IS STILL EARLY TO ASSESS THE PLAN'S EFFECTIVENESS, PARTICULARLY AS SINGLETON HOSTELS IN AREAS WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED, SUCH AS YAU MA TEI, SHAM SHUI PO AND MONG кок, ARE YET TO BE OPENED, HE SAID.

"THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SUBJECT BEDSPACE APARTMENTS TO LICENSING ONCE THERE ARE SUFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE FOR THE DISPLACED LODGERS WAS SET OUT IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON FEBRUARY 27 LAST YEAR.

"AS I EXPECT THAT THE DECANTATION EXERCISE WILL BE REASONABLY COMPLETED IN ABOUT TWO YEARS, I WILL SEEK TO INTRODUCE THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION FOR A LICENSING SCHEME INTO THIS COUNCIL IN MID-1993, HE

SAID.

中平

MEANWHILE, THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION (CNTA) AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAVE MADE CONCERTED EFFORTS TO SECURE SUITABLE PREMISES FOR USE AS SINGLETON HOSTELS.

"THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF HOSTELS TARGETTED AT ABLE-BODIED LODGERS IN EXISTING BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WAS OPENED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR IN WAN CHAI IN PREMISES MADE AVAILABLE BY THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS.

"THE SECOND HOSTEL IS BEING SET UP IN KWUN TONG IN FLATS MADE AVAILABLE BY THE HONG KONG HOUSING SOCIETY. IT WILL BE OPERATIONAL IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

MA

"IN

YAU

ADDITION, A FLAT IN A PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN TEI HAS BEEN PURCHASED WITH MONEY DONATED BY THE CHINESE TEMPLES COMMITTEE, HE SAID, ADDING THAT RENOVATION PLANS FOR THIS APARTMENT ARE BEING DRAWN UP.

"

MR SUEN SAID THE AGENCY FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICE IS THE MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR THESE HOSTELS AND FOR THOSE TO BE SET UP IN PREMISES SECURED BY THE CNTA.

AS REGARDS THE ELDERLY LODGERS IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS, THE SAID

HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAD OFFERED PREMISES AT CHEUNG ESTATE AND SIU SAI WAN ESTATE FOR USE AS HOSTELS FOR THEM.

MR

SUEN SHA WAN

/"THE PREMISES