XN000022-1993-03-10 — Page 29

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1993

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PROMOTING HOME OWNERSHIP IS GOVT OBJECTIVE

IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVE TO PROMOTE HOME OWNERSHIP FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, MR TONY EASON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM, MR EASON EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THIS POLICY, THE MAIN CRITERIA USED TO DESIGNATE CERTAIN RENTAL BLOCKS FOR SALE WERE HOUSING MIX AND PROGRAMME BALANCE.

WHILE THE DEMAND FOR HOME OWNERSHIP (HOS) FLATS WAS LARGELY MET BY PLANNED PRODUCTION, HE SAID IT WAS SOMETIMES NECESSARY то TRANSFER ONE OR TWO BLOCKS IN A RENTAL ESTATE FOR SALE TO ACHIEVE A BETTER MIX.

"THUS,

SITTING AND PROSPECTIVE TENANTS, INCLUDING THOSE AFFECTED BY REDEVELOPMENT, CAN CHOOSE TO BUY IN THE SAME DISTRICT WHEN THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO SO, HE SAID.

M

THERE WERE ALSO OCCASIONS WHERE PROGRAMME ADJUSTMENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF SALE FLATS REQUIRED THE TRANSFER OF SOME RENTAL TYPE BLOCKS FOR SALE IN A PARTICULAR YEAR BUT THIS WAS DONE ONLY WHEN THE COMMITTED RENTAL DEMAND IN THE DISTRICT WAS SATISFIED, HE ADDED.

MR EASON SAID THE DESIGNATION OF RENTAL BLOCKS FOR SALE SHOULD NOT REDUCE THE OVERALL SUPPLY OF RENTAL UNITS ON A YEAR-ON-YEAR BASIS AS THE DESIGNATION WAS NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWED BY A CORRESPONDING REDUCTION IN THE SUPPLY OF RENTAL FLATS IN PARTICULAR.

"AS SITTING TENANTS MOVE OUT AFTER BUYING RECOVERED UNITS ARE REFURBISHED AND ALLOCATED TO CATEGORIES, INCLUDING THE WAITING LIST, HE SAID.

HOS FLATS, THE OTHER REHOUSING

LIST APPLICANTS

OF

IT SHOULD ALSO HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON WAITING WITH AN EXPRESSED PREFERENCE FOR URBAN FLATS BECAUSE THE MAJORITY THE TRANSFER FLATS WERE OUTSIDE THE URBAN AREA.

CAPACITY OF HK COLISEUM

AS

THE HONG KONG COLISEUM CAN STILL COPE WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ORIGINALLY PLANNED IN RELATION TO THE PRESENT-DAY SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, SAID.

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON EDWARD HO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR BLAKE SAID THE DESIGNED SEATING CAPACITY OF THE COLISEUM RANGED FROM DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF

STAGE CONFIGURATION

10,545 ΤΟ USED.

12,455

/IT HAD