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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Fair Rent Tribunals
I recall that several years ago, the Civic Association had suggested that Government investigate into the practical aspects of setting up Fair Rent Tribunals to protect tenants from being victimized by the more unscrupulous landlords, especially since Government's low-cost housing programme was sadly insufficient.
Judging from the official speeches at last Friday's Budget Debate in Legislative Council it appears that Government is now somewhat aware of the anguish and mental torture which a large number of ordinary Hong Kong families go through from month to month due to the fear that their rents would be increased beyond their fixed incomes. These families hope and pray that Government will lose no time in taking suitable steps to give them protection.
Happy indeed are those families living in accommodation owned by the more reasonable landlords-they should consider themselves highly fortunate.
But rent control and Fair Rent Tribunals are not the long-term answers. They are merely temporary solutions, and I am convinced that if Government is seriously concerned with the housing problem of people, it will have to display its good intentions by earmarking enough funds to establish a long-term programme to build low-cost housing estates of decent standard, capable of accommodating 70,000 to 80,000 people per year, in addition to the existing resettlement programme.
Building Societies
On the subject of building societies, I have for years been urging Government to do something about promoting building societies, so that families in our middle-income group can have the opportunity to own their own flats on the instalment plan over, say, a ten-year period. Let us hope that this time the ears of Government will be opened and something will be done pretty soon about it.
Multi-ownership Buildings
You will recall, Mr. Chairman, that last month I raised the question in Council concerning the provision to Council Members of copies of the Working Party's report on the problems arising out of multi-ownership buildings.
You advised me in a written reply that Government has given you the assurance that copies will be made available to Council Members "if Government decides that the report will be published in due course." I regret to say, Mr. Chairman, that if that is Government's reply, it is most unsatisfactory.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
17
This Council is very much concerned with the sanitation aspects of multi-ownership buildings, and I would expect that such a Report should be made available not only to Council Members but to the public as well. If Government should decide not to publish this report, then the public can only assume that the "closed door" policy is still loftily entrenched in the upper heights of the Administration.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you and the other members of the official team for their excellent efforts in cooperating with the Unofficial Members, particularly when on occasion some of the elected Members, including myself, have made matters rather trying on the Departmental staff, even though with justification. (Laughter).
The elected Members have also had a good year of cooperation with the appointed Members, and I am sure I am voicing the sentiments of my colleagues on the elected side when I say that we have enjoyed working with them. Mr. SALES has made reference to the good cooperation that has existed between the appointed and elected Members, and I cannot endorse his remarks more fully. However, it is a pity that there are a few among the appointed Members whom I shall call a group of "No Men" in regard to the very sensible improvements to the Colony's constitutional structure which the elected Coalition have put forward.
Incidentally, my words of appreciation and praise for both the official and appointed Members have not been uttered in the interest of good public relations--they are genuine sentiments.
It is perhaps timely to point out to Government and the Colonial Office that while the rule of law and freedom of the individual are invariably respected in Hong Kong, the local public would like to see an extension to the existing eight political freedoms in Hong Kong (namely, the eight elective seats to the Urban Council). Sometimes I do think it is nine political freedoms, especially when Mr. SALES gets up and speaks for Kowloon.
(At this point, Mr. SALES said: May that be minuted, Mr. Chairman)
(Mr. CHEONG-LEEN then continued:) And I say, Mr. Chairman, it is the view of the local public that they would like to have representation of the Legislative Council expanded to include an elected element which would in effect constitute a practical and beneficial exercise in this Colony of the British system of political democracy.
Mr. Chairman, I support the motion before the House. (Applause).
Page 17 of 150
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Page 16 of 150
16
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Fair Rent Tribunals
I recall that several years ago, the Civic Association had suggested that Government investigate into the practical aspects of setting up Fair Rent Tribunals to protect tenants from being victimized by the more unscrupulous landlords, especially since Government's low-cost housing programme was sadly insufficient.
Judging from the official speeches at last Friday's Budget Debate in Legislative Council it appears that Government is now somewhat aware of the anguish and mental torture which a large number of ordinary Hong Kong families go through from month to month due to the fear that their rents would be increased beyond their fixed incomes. These families hope and pray that Government will lose no time in taking suitable steps to give them protection.
Happy indeed are those families living in accommodation owned by the more reasonable landlords-they should consider themselves highly fortunate.
But rent control and Fair Rent Tribunals are not the long-term answers. They are merely temporary solutions, and I am convinced that if Government is seriously concerned with the housing problem of people, it will have to display its good intentions by earmarking enough funds to establish a long-term programme to build low-cost housing estates of decent standard, capable of accommodating 70,000 to 80,000 people per year, in addition to the existing resettlement programme.
Building Societies
On the subject of building societies, I have for years been urging Government to do something about promoting building societies, so that families in our middle-income group can have the opportunity to own their own flats on the instalment plan over, say, a ten-year period. Let us hope that this time the ears of Government will be opened and something will be done pretty soon about it.
Multi-ownership Buildings
You will recall, Mr. Chairman, that last month I raised the ques- tion in Council concerning the provision to Council Members of copies of the Working Party's report on the problems arising out of multi- ownership buildings.
You advised me in a written reply that Government has given you the assurance that copies will be made available to Council Members "if Government decides that the report will be published in due course." I regret to say, Mr. Chairman, that if that is Government's reply, it is most unsatisfactory.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
17
This Council is very much concerned with the sanitation aspects of multi-ownership buildings, and I would expect that such a Report should be made available not only to Council Members but to the public as well. If Government should decide not to publish this report, then the public can only assume that the "closed door" policy is still loftily entrenched in the upper heights of the Administration.
Finally, Mr. Chairman, may I congratulate you and the other members of the official team for their excellent efforts in cooperating with the Unofficial Members, particularly when on occasion some of the elected Members, including myself, have made matters rather trying on the Departmental staff, even though with justification. (Laughter).
The elected Members have also had a good year of cooperation with the appointed Members, and I am sure I am voicing the senti- ments of my colleagues on the elected side when I say that we have enjoyed working with them. Mr. SALES has made reference to the good cooperation that has existed between the appointed and elected Members, and I cannot endorse his remarks more fully. However, it is a pity that there are a few among the appointed Members whom I shall call a group of "No Men" in regard to the very sensible improve- ments to the Colony's constitutional structure which the elected Coali- tion have put forward.
Incidentally, my words of appreciation and praise for both the official and appointed Members have not been uttered in the interest of good public relations--they are genuine sentiments.
It is perhaps timely to point out to Government and the Colonial Office that while the rule of law and freedom of the individual are invariably respected in Hong Kong, the local public would like to see an extension to the existing eight political freedoms in Hong Kong (namely, the eight elective seats to the Urban Council). Sometimes I do think it is nine political freedoms, especially when Mr. SALES gets up and speaks for Kowloon.
(At this point, Mr. SALES said: May that be minuted, Mr. Chairman)
(Mr. CHEONG-LEEN then continued:) And I say, Mr. Chairman, it is the view of the local public that they would like to have representa- tion of the Legislative Council expanded to include an elected element which would in effect constitute a practical and beneficial exercise in this Colony of the British system of political democracy.
Mr. Chairman, I support the motion before the House. (Applause),
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.