TNAG-1575-FCO40-2148-Housing-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 41

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OMELCO

Translation

DRAFT SPEECH BY HON LEE YU TAI LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 29.10.86

Adjournment Debate on the

Report of the Committee on Housing Subsidy

to Tenants of Public Housing" and the "Report of the Domestic Rent Policy Review Committee"

With a history of 30 years, the development of public housing in Hong Kong has provided accommodation for some 2 million people and serves the following three social functions:-

(a)

(b)

(၁)

It serves to adjust the gap between the rich and the poor and to maintain social stability, so that the low-income sector of the population have a stable home to live in and labour relations can develop

harmoniously.

It undertakes to provide alternative accommodation, so that the Government can recover land effectively and helps to promote the overall development of

society.

The construction of public housing facilitates the development of new towns, thus reducing the density of pupulation in urban areas and helps to boost the

overall economy.

Since public housing serves an important social function,

But since I agree that a truly fair policy should be formulated. about 40% of the population live in public housing and slightly more than half of the population live in private premises, no matter how Government's rent policy or housing subsidy policy is formulated, it will give rise to criticism or discontent from about half of the population. While increasing public housing rental will attract objections from the 2 million or so tenants of public housing, privileged treatment to them will also lead to criticism from the other 3 million people not living in public housing.

OMELCO

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