(iii) Accommodation
Sufficient accommodation in a suitable estate must be avail- able for each clearance. As land in the central urban areas is now almost fully developed, new resettlement estates are usually only available in the more outlying areas. In general, squatters are moved to the nearest available estate but quite often the estate is, of necessity, quite a considerable distance from the site to be cleared.
32. Each structure in the clearance area is numbered and the approx- imate details of the families living there are recorded; all this is com- pleted within a day or two. This first survey is done so as to ensure that only genuine residents are given resettlement. Notices are posted to warn anyone who moves in after this survey that they will not be eligible for resettlement. Screening then follows immediately; the partic- ulars of each resident are entered on the statutory screening form, after which a 'White Card' (a Resettlement Department identity card) is issued to the head of each household.
33. About a month before the clearance is due to take place, the clearance officer delivers notices to each family explaining when and where they should pay rent for their new rooms in the estate and the date on which they should move. He also answers any questions, helps to solve problmes and arranges for free transport, if required. At the time of the actual move, as many as a thousand people may move in one day if the clearance is a large one, but movements generally tend to be piecemeal, depending on the date by which the squatter has finished decorating his new estate room (usually about a fortnight after paying rent).
THE SPECIALIZED UNITS
34. A smooth clearance can only be achieved through the co- operation of the squatters to be cleared and much of the work depends on personal contact between the clearance staff and squatters. The actual work of clearance is carried out by 3 Clearance Units, covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Between them they are responsible for the execution of all clearances in the whole Colony. They are assisted by three specialized units within the Sub-Division, namely:
(i) the Screening Unit which carries out the screening mentioned in
paragraph 30 above;
10
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.