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Following is a transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, at a media session after attending a radio programme this morning (January 19):
Reporter: (About the large number of applications for Greenview Villa)
Secretary for Transport and Housing: I think the over-subscription for the Greenview Villa project as well as the huge number of applicants for the White Form Scheme indicated that there is very strong demand for subsidised housing, Home Ownership Scheme. That is something known to the government, that is why the government is so determined to increase the supply of public housing whether in public rental housing or subsidised home ownership schemes. But of course, as I explained on several occasions, even if the government decides today that we should provide certain number of subsidised housing or public housing, it takes a few years for the actual buildings to be constructed because the process involves the identification of sites, the necessary planning procedures to be gone through, local consultation and then the design, construction. So I hope the public will understand that the actual changes at the point of delivery, unavoidably we have to wait for a few years. But I hope the public would acknowledge that there is huge determination on the part of the administration to change track and to increase supply in housing particularly public housing.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, January 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:24
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