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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said today (Wednesday) that the Government would continue to promote the establishment of owners' corporations in order to strengthen maintenance and repair works of buildings.

After inspecting the scene at Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok where a concrete fragment collapsed, Mr Tung said the unfortunate incident yesterday showed that owners should inspect their buildings regularly to ensure building safety. "The Government will work together with district boards to encourage owners to take these steps," he said.

"The Government launched the Building Safety Improvement Loan Scheme last year to assist building owners in carrying out inspections and repair works of their buildings. We will urge the owners to participate actively in the scheme.

"In the long run, we will step up the pace of urban renewal," Mr Tung said.

The Chief Executive later visited the Kowloon City district. He reiterated the Government's determination to create a healthier and cleaner environment for Hong Kong during his visit.

Speaking during his tour of two private streets in Hung Hom, Mr Tung said that the poor environmental hygiene due to the lack of proper management needs to be addressed.

He said all concerned government departments, including the Home Affairs Department, Buildings Department, Fire Services Department and Drainage Services Department, have been pooling their efforts to improve the cleanliness of private streets.

"However, to eradicate problems commonly found in private streets, much still depends on the cooperation of owners and tenants. Effective management and owners' active participation are indispensable factors to improving and maintaining a high standard of environmental hygiene in private streets," Mr Tung added.

Before visiting the private streets, Mr Tung inspected a temporary refuse collection point (RCP) in Ma Tau Kok Road and the Ma Tau Kok Quarantine Depot. The operation of the two places has caused noise nuisance and environmental hygiene problems in the neighbourhood.

Mr Tung said, "To eliminate the problems for good in Ma Tau Kok Road, the Government will relocate the Ma Tau Kok Quarantine Depot to Sheung Shui later this month. The Government is also considering the feasibility of building a permanent RCP in the area which features better noise and odour isolation designs.

"The Government is determined to create a healthier and cleaner environment for Hong Kong in order to upgrade our quality of life. In this connection, the Government has launched the Healthy Living Campaign last year and many activities have been organised to encourage community-wide support and active participation in the campaign," Mr Tung said.

At the New Asia Middle School and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Farm Road Children and Youth Centre, Mr Tung met students who sat in this years' Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination.

He congratulated those who had attained good results and hoped that they would continue to work hard and strive for better achievements.

For those students who had attained not so satisfactory results, Mr Tung encouraged them to face bravely their set back and found out reasons behind it.

"HKCEE is just a part of our learning process in life. The community in the 21st century will be one of knowledge-based. We have to keep on learning and improve ourselves constantly."

Mr Tung was briefed on the facilities in the youth centre. He was particularly interested in the computer hardware and talked to some youths who were making use of them while taking computer lessons.

The Chief Executive was accompanied on the visit by the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Shelly Lau; the Kowloon City Provisional District Board Chairman, Mr Tang Po-hong and the Kowloon City District Officer, Mr Charles Chan.

Photo: Photograph shows Mr Tung visiting the hawker stall where the incident happened.

End/Wednesday, August 11, 1999

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