****************************************************
The Government today (February 9) is pleased to learn that through the mediation of Heung Yee Kuk (HYK) Chairman, Mr Lau Wong-fat, the dispute between the 47 households of Choi Yuen Tsuen (CYT) who opt for the collective agricultural resite plan and the owner of a private road in Yuen Kong San Tsuen over the road access issue has been fully resolved.
The spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau thanked Mr Lau Wong-fat and all parties concerned for their efforts in helping the villagers to identify suitable land for collective agricultural resite and for their continual mediation over the road access issue in the past year. With the concerted efforts of a kind-hearted person and HYK, the issue has been settled in the end.
The spokesman was also grateful to the above person, who was concerned about the progress of the works of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link project and the moving plans of the villagers, for his generosity in funding the purchase of the access right of the road and donating it to HYK . As a result, the privately-owned village road can now be open for use by all people.
"We are glad to see that with the assistance of the various sectors of the community, the 47 households who opt for collective agricultural resite plan have overcome difficulties in removal one by one. We hope they will have their new homes completed soonest possible and continue their living there," he said.
To compensate some 400 CYT villagers affected by the land resumption, the Government has upgraded the land compensation rate from zone C to zone A and developed the special ex-gratia rehousing allowances. The Administration had in total approved $250 million, including crop ex-gratia allowances, for the villagers to arrange for their new homes. Moreover, to provide the villagers with more rehousing options, eligible households were exclusively allowed to purchase Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) flats without being subject to the comprehensive means test by the Housing Authority. The villagers have purchased more than 30 HOS flats in total.
The ownership right of all the land in CYT has now returned to the Government in accordance with the law. Most of the households have moved to their new homes.
"Since the launching of the phased land resumption last October, the villagers have been given a four-month grace period to prepare for removal. Villagers who are still living in CYT should not delay their moving plans any more. They should dovetail their plans with the schedule of the rail works and move out as soon as possible so as not to affect the progress of the rail project. The Government is ready to do its best to help villagers who opt for the collective agricultural resite plan and are in need of temporary accommodation. We will discuss with them on this in detail as soon as possible," the spokesman said.
Ends/Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:50
NNNN
