Page 173 of 237
322
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. RAYMOND Y. K. KAN:- Mr. Chairman, I attend this annual conventional debate for the first time since I assumed office and I wish to take this opportunity to express my views on certain matters which, I believe, are of major importance to our community and deserve our careful consideration:
(1) The setting up of a Public Housing Department under the direct control of the Urban Council to be responsible for all subsidized low-cost housing and resettlement programmes in Hong Kong;
(2) The founding of an evening university for conferring part-time degrees so as to alleviate the acute shortage of places in our two existing universities; and
(3) The building of a convention centre for the promotion of tourism which is one of the mainstays of our economy.
At present, roughly one-third of our population live in subsidized low-cost housing and resettlement estates which are planned, built and managed by either Government or Urban Council through the Housing Authority. A breakdown of the figure shows that at the end of October this year, the Housing Authority was managing 27,379 flats accommodating 167,405 residents and in Government low-cost housing estates, there were 26,827 flats with 145,013 dwellers, totalling over 300,000 persons.
It is expected that by March, 1973 the combined figure will be about 600,000, a staggering 100% increase.
As for resettlement estates, statistics for September this year showed the number of residents already reached the figure of 1,060,008. It is planned that 250,000 more will be accommodated in these estates by the end of March, 1973.
We cannot but admire these remarkable achievements of Government and this Council. However, we cannot, and should not be complacent, as there are now over 600,000 persons awaiting their turn to be housed or to be resettled. We must therefore consider and devise ways and means to expedite building of more estates to solve the serious problem of housing shortage. And a new Public Housing Department under this Council, I believe, is the answer.
The present set-up, to say the least, is complicated and haphazard. The Housing Authority designs, builds and manages its own estates while Government is responsible for constructing Government low-cost housing estates, but hands them over to the Housing Authority for management upon their completion. The resettlement estates are also planned and built by Government's Public Works Department, but managed by its Resettlement Department under the direction of Resettlement Policy and Resettlement Management Select Committees of this Council.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
323
It is obvious that for better co-ordination of efforts, greater economy and efficiency, long term planning for more and better public housing and even better results than we have already achieved, we need a central authority which takes charge of all stages of the operations in our unified effort to provide the urgently needed housing for the citizens of Hong Kong. It is now the time to examine closely the feasibility of this proposal.
While still on the subject of housing, I wish to bring up another point, and that is the sale of low-cost flats to tenants on long-term instalment basis. I understand there have been discussions on this matter and the decision was not favourable. However, the arguments against it of several years ago are not necessarily valid today and we need re-examine this subject from time to time. It is essential, I feel, if only because it will make owners of these flats feel they belong to and are part of Hong Kong, an attitude so vital for its future stability and prosperity.
Turning now to my second topic, I would like to suggest that Government should consider the founding of an evening university. We will no doubt agree that education of the next generation is the responsibility of the present one. With the progress of time, the people of Hong Kong from all walks of life are very conscientious about education for their young, and to many of them, higher education is no longer a luxury, but a necessity of life. This naturally results in a disproportionate excess of demand over supply in facilities for higher education. Take the Hong Kong University and the Chinese University, for instance. Together, they had only 1,396 vacancies last year, against a total of 5,699 candidates vying for admission. Statistics also show that only 60% of the 2,320 successful candidates managed to be admitted while the remainder had to proceed abroad or seek enrolment in private institutions for further studies.
In order to cope with this situation, an evening institution of higher learning should be established. In his Report on local education problems, Mr. R. F. SIMPSON stressed the need for an evening university and stated "In the situation of Hong Kong the part-time pattern seems the only solution to meeting the growing demand for higher education.
This view is indeed shared by many in the educational circle.
55
There are many distinct advantages that an evening university which confer degrees can offer, such as:
(1) It will supplement the two existing universities and provide the much-needed facilities at fractions of the cost which would be incurred if a full expansion programme were to be carried out at the two day universities.
Page 173 of 237
Page 173 of 237
322
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. RAYMOND Y. K. KAN:-Mr. Chairman, I attend this annual conventional debate for the first time since I assumed office and I wish to take this opportunity to express my views on certain matters which, I believe, are of major importance to our community and deserve our careful consideration:
(1) The setting up of a Public Housing Department under the direct control of the Urban Council to be responsible for all subsidized low-cost housing and resettlement programmes in Hong Kong;
(2) The founding of an evening university for conferring part-time degrees so as to alleviate the acute shortage of places in our two existing universities; and
(3) The building of a convention centre for the promotion of tourism which is one of the mainstays of our economy.
At present, roughly one-third of our population live in subsidized low-cost housing and resettlement estates which are planned, built and managed by either Government or Urban Council through the Housing Authority. A breakdown of the figure shows that at the end of October this year, the Housing Authority was managing 27,379 flats accommodating 167,405 residents and in Government low-cost housing estates, there were 26,827 flats with 145,013 dwellers, totalling over 300,000 persons.
It is expected that by March, 1973 the combined figure will be about 600,000, a staggering 100% increase.
As for resettlement estates, statistics for September this year showed the number of residents already reached the figure of 1,060,008. It is planned that 250,000 more will be accommodated in these estates by the end of March, 1973.
We cannot but admire these remarkable achievements of Govern- ment and this Council. However, we cannot, and should not be com- placent, as there are now over 600,000 persons awaiting their turn to be housed or to be resettled. We must therefore consider and devise ways and means to expedite building of more estates to solve the serious problem of housing shortage. And a new Public Housing Department under this Council, I believe, is the answer.
The present set-up, to say the least, is complicated and haphazard. The Housing Authority designs, builds and manages its own estates while Government is responsible for constructing Govern- ment low-cost housing estates, but hands them over to the Housing Authority for management upon their completion. The resettlement estates are also planned and built by Government's Public Works Department, but managed by its Resettlement Department under the direction of Resettlement Policy and Resettlement Management Select Committees of this Council.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
323
It is obvious that for better co-ordination of efforts, greater economy and efficiency, long term planning for more and better public housing and even better results than we have already achieved, we need a central authority which takes charge of all stages of the opera- tions in our unified effort to provide the urgently needed housing for the citizens of Hong Kong. It is now the time to examine closely the feasibility of this proposal.
While still on the subject of housing, I wish to bring up another point, and that is the sale of low-cost flats to tenants on long-term instalment basis. I understand there have been discussions on this matter and the decision was not favourable. However, the arguments against it of several years ago are not necessarily valid today and we need re-examine this subject from time to time. It is essential, I feel, if only because it will make owners of these flats feel they belong to and are part of Hong Kong, an attitude so vital for its future stability and prosperity.
Turning now to my second topic, I would like to suggest that Government should consider the founding of an evening university. We will no doubt agree that education of the next generation is the responsibility of the present one. With the progress of time, the people of Hong Kong from all walks of life are very conscientious about education for their young, and to many of them, higher education is no longer a luxury, but a necessity of life. This naturally results in a disproportionate excess of demand over supply in facilities for higher education. Take the Hong Kong University and the Chinese University, for instance. Together, they had only 1,396 vacancies last year, against a total of 5,699 candidates vying for admission. Statistics also show that only 60% of the 2,320 successful candidates managed to be admitted while the remainder had to proceed abroad or seek enrolment in private institutions for further studies.
In order to cope with this situation, an evening institution of higher learning should be established. In his Report on local education problems, Mr. R. F. SIMPSON stressed the need for an evening university and stated "In the situation of Hong Kong the part-time pattern seems the only solution to meeting the growing demand for higher education
This view is indeed shared by many in the educational circle.
55
There are many distinct advantages that an evening university which confer degrees can offer, such as:
(1) It will supplement the two existing universities and provide the much-needed facilities at fractions of the cost which would be incurred if a full expansion programme were to be carried out at the two day universities.
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