TNAG-0911-FCO40-1121-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 62

THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TO BOAT DWELLERS' REQUESTS FOR REHOUSING

3. It is not true that the Government have ignored boat

dwellers' requests to be rehoused. 80,000 boat people have been

rehoused since 1960. The main reason why more boat dwellers

have not been rehoused sooner is that they have not applied:

until the Housing Department conducted a campaign in mid-1978

to encourage boat people to apply, only half of the boat

dwellers had applied for public housing.

THE TREATMENT OF BOAT DWELLERS COMPARED WITH LAND-BASED SQUATTERS

4. There is no truth in the accusation that priority is given

to land-based squatters so that the Government can profit from

the sale of the land from which they are cleared. With land so

scarce it is inevitable that land should be cleared for develop-

ment, and the Government accept that alternative housing must be

provided for any squatters whose temporary dwellings are

displaced in this way. But controls are applied to prevent this

being used as a means of jumping the queue for public housing.

THE TYPHOON SHELTERS

5. As the name implies, these are intended to provide sheltered

anchorages for fishing vessels and other small craft during

typhoons. They are not intended for permanent occupation by

boat dwellers. As boat dwellers are resettled ashore, the

Government try to control the arrival of new boat dwellers to

take their place in the typhoon shelters.

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