XN000022-1994-04-27 — Page 30

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1994

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BEDSPACE APARTMENTS BILL PASSED

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THE BEDSPACE APARTMENTS BILL WAS PASSED WITH AMENDMENTS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, SAID THE BILL INTRODUCED A STATUTORY LICENSING REGIME TO REGULATE THE FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY OF BEDSPACE APARTMENTS.

MR SUEN DESCRIBED THE LIVING CONDITIONS IN THESE APARTMENTS AS OFTEN BEING OVERLOOKED AND OCCUPANTS EXPOSED TO GREATER FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY RISKS.

BUT UPON FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LICENSING SCHEME, OCCUPANTS WOULD LIVE IN VASTLY LESS OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS WHICH WOULD ALSO MEET BOTH THE FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY STANDARDS, HE SAID.

MR SUEN POINTED OUT THAT OWING MAINLY ΤΟ GOVERNMENT EFFORTS, THE POPULATION IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS HAD NOW DECREASED ΤΟ 3,200, COMPARED TO 4,000 IN 1990/91.

HE SAID: "GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TO ASSIST ABOUT HALF OF THE EXISTING LODGERS TO BE REHOUSED EITHER IN PUBLIC HOUSING OR WELFARE INSTITUTIONS OR HOSTELS.

"AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO SEE THE NUMBER OF LODGERS IN BEDSPACE APARTMENTS WHICH ARE FULLY LICENSED AND RENOVATED TO CONFORM OUR STANDARD OF FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY BEING REDUCED ΤΟ AROUND 1,600," HE ADDED.

סיר

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STRESSING THAT NO ONE WILL BE MADE HOMELESS AS A RESULT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME, MR SUEN SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD STEP UP PUBLICITY TO MAKE SURE THAT LODGERS WERE FULLY AWARE THE RANGE OF ASSISTANCE OFFERED.

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AMENDMENT BILL ON MAHJONG PLAYING AND FOREIGN LOTTERIES

AN AMENDMENT BILL TO FURTHER REGULATE THE OPERATION OF MAHJONG PLAYING IN LICENSED CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE GAMBLING (AMENDMENT} BILL 1994, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, SAID THE BILL PROPOSED TO PROHIBIT THE MANAGEMENT OR EMPLOYEES OF ESTABLISHMENTS FROM PLAYING MAHJONG WITH THEIR CLIENTS ON PREMISES.

SAID.

SUCH

THE

THIS WAS TO PREVENT THE OPERATORS FROM MAKING A PROFIT, MR SUEN

/ON THE

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