XN000022-1994-06-09 — Page 12

11

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 1994

DR CONRAD LAM (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR PRESIDENT, THROUGH YOU I WOULD LIKE то LET THE GOVERNOR KNOW THAT I'M ABSOLUTELY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING. Ι THINK THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AT PRESENT IS SUFFERING FROM CERTAIN PROBLEMS AND THAT IS WHY I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS THE NEED FOR A SECRETARY FOR HOUSING 'TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION.

I WOULD LIKE TO QUOTE THREE EXAMPLES TO SUBSTANTIATE MY CLAIM. FIRST OF

ALL THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING SO FAR HAS NEVER ATTENDED MEETINGS OF THE HOUSING PANEL OF THE LEGCO. THIS SHOWS THAT THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING DOES NOT REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CONCERNS SHOWN BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OVER HOUSING.

SECONDLY, HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AFFAIRS OF THREE MILLION PEOPLE AND THROUGH ITS OWN DIRECTIVE PRESS FREEDOM IS REALLY RESTRICTED UNDER THE PORTFOLIO OF HOUSING DEPARTMENT. FOR INSTANCE THE MAO FILM IS NOT SHOWN AT PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.

OF

THIRDLY, IN CHOI WAN ESTATE IN ORDER TO SAVE SEVERAL HUNDREDS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS A FLYOVER IS BEING SHELVED AND THE FLYOVER IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE DISABLED PEOPLE WITH THE RESULT THAT DISABLED PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO CROSS-OVER CLEARWATER BAY ROAD EXPOSING THEM TO TRAFFIC DANGER.

1

80 FOR THESE REASONS I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR A SECRETARY FOR HOUSING AND ALSO FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SOMETIMES THE MEMBERS ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND IT SEEMS TO ME THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT IS REALLY LEADING THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BY THE NOSE AND THAT'S WHY I'M ALL FOR THE CREATION OF THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING.

AND NOW, THIS IS MY QUESTION. MR GOVERNOR, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO. CAN YOU TELL THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING TO, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE,

REGULARLY ATTEND MEETINGS OF THE HOUSING PANEL OF THIS COUNCIL SO THAT THE SECRETARY WOULD GET THE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CONCERNS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS OVER HOUSING SO THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO RELY ON SECOND-HAND KNOWLEDGE?

GOVERNOR: I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE HONOURABLE MEMBER'S SUPPORT AND I HOPE WE WILL HAVE HIS VOTE IF THIS MATTER COMES TO A VOTE LATER IN THE YEAR. I TAKE IT THAT IT WON'T BE A SUFFICIENT, THOUGH MAYBE A NECESSARY CONDITION, FOR THE NEW SECRETARY'S APPOINTMENT THAT HR SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE MAO FILM. AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG SEEM TO HAVE SEEN IT NOW IN ONE VENUE OR ANOTHER. I'M AFRAID I CAN'T HELP ON THE FLYOVER AND I'M SURE THE DIRECTOR OF HOUSING IS CONCERNED ABOUT VIEWS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BUT CLEARLY A SECRETARY FOR HOUSING WOULD WANT TO KEEP CLOSELY IN TOUCH WITH MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. I IMAGINE IT'S THE CASE THAT FOR MOST MEMBERS HOUSING IS THE, PROBABLY

CONSTITUENTS,

CONSTITUENCIES

THE

AT AND

PRINCIPAL ITEM IN THEIR CORRESPONDENCE FROM LEAST THOSE MEMBERS REPRESENTING DIRECTLY THEREFORE AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER SAYS MEMBERS HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SUBJECT, HAVE EXTENSIVE VIEWS ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND WILL WANT TO SHARE THOSE VIEWS WITH A SECRETARY FOR HOUSING AND HIS COLLEAGUES.

/MR ERIC LI: