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1. Speech by Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority

2. Legislator urges consultation over building of cultural hub

1. Speech by Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority
Hong Kong Government, 2 February 2004

The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

Following is a speech by the Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, Mr Michael Suen at the International Housing Conference 2004 for "Housing in the 21st Century: Challenges and Commitments" today (February 2):

Chief Executive, Dr Renaud, distinguished guests, delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the International Housing Conference 2004 in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Housing Authority is honoured to host this conference; and I am delighted to have the opportunity to address such a distinguished group of housing experts from not only across Asia but around the world.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of public housing in Hong Kong. During the last half century, it has been an ongoing challenge for the Hong Kong Administration to ensure that adequate public housing is provided for the needy. We are proud of our achievements. In the early years, our objective was necessarily limited to providing basic accommodation to as large a number of people as possible within the shortest time span. When that was achieved, the Housing Authority, as it exists today, was re-constituted in 1973 to take forward the public housing programme by providing more functional facilities for new arrivals then coming into Hong Kong in large numbers. This has made significant contribution to Hong Kong's economic progress, and has helped promote the stability of our society.

Over the years, the Hong Kong Housing Authority has strived to be flexible and responsive in meeting the needs of our tenants. We do so by nurturing a more meaningful partnership with them. We set up Estate Management Advisory Committees to provide an effective platform to receive their views and suggestions. We do believe in securing their support as we continue to bring about improvements to their standard of living and their quality of life.

The International Housing Conference in Hong Kong 2004 comes at a time when rapid socio-economic changes are taking place in many parts of the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. One of the themes of this Conference is "Globalisation and Housing Development". Globalisation is breaking down barriers and boundaries, giving rise to an unprecedented level of mobility in many areas of human activity. The concept of domicile is becoming less relevant as people move from place to place much more frequently, dictated more and more by economic forces on a global scale. This has brought about new challenges to providers of public housing around the world.

This Conference offers a forum for all delegates present to share experience, discuss issues of common concern on this and other themes. We have academics, policy makers, housing experts, professionals and practitioners from many different economies. Today we have an ideal opportunity to build linkage for future operation. We feel that the valuable exchange that will take place at this Conference will benefit every participant with new experience and insight.

I would therefore like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you who are participating in the Conference and I wish the Conference every success. In particular, I would like to thank the Chief Executive, The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, for his staunch support for our cause and for his presence here today. I would also like to thank the various organisations that are giving their support, as well as the numerous sponsors for their generous contributions. Last, but not the least, my very special thanks to the Organising Committee whose hard work has made this event possible.

May I now invite The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, to address the audience. Thank you very much.

2. Legislator urges consultation over building of cultural hub
JIMMY CHEUNG, SCMP 2 February 2004

Timothy Fok: artistic intervention

The government should compromise with property developers and the arts community over the controversial cultural hub project in West Kowloon, says the arts sector legislator.

The public should also air their views to avoid disputes in the future, independent legislator Timothy Fok Tsun-ting said on RTHK's Letter to Hong Kong programme yesterday.

"We have until June to tell the government what we think, an exercise in consultation that I urge everyone to join because all of us will have to live with the consequences," said the Legislative Council representative for culture, sport and performing arts.

The government was forced to extend the bidding deadline until June and listen to more views after concerns that only one or two developers would qualify under the so-called single tender deal.

Under the plan, a developer would be given exclusive rights to transform the district into an arts and cultural zone packed with museums, theatres and residential blocks. Construction is to be completed in stages from 2010.

Mr Fok said: "A consensus, at least a compromise, will have to be struck among developers, the government, the public and artists."

He stressed the arts community's role, saying artists knew best what they want from the future "cultural Mecca".

Mr Fok said similar experiences in Paris and London showed that it was not the government, but the arts community which made cultural centres successful.

"They are the result of artistic people drawn together by shared affinities to create and by their patrons to trade, traffic and bask in the bohemian air," he said.

He also called for comprehensive urban renewal to accompany the hub in West Kowloon.

"I envisage something grander, desirable, perhaps inevitable - the gentrifying of the rest of the peninsular ... As Hong Kong renews itself, the process must not be piecemeal but comprehensive," he said.