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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, tonight (Tuesday) visited elderly tenants living in Hong Tung Estate, Sai Wan Ho and a temporary cold shelter in Causeway Bay to express his concern for the elderly during the cold spell.

Mr Tung brought with him scarves, gloves, fruits and biscuits.

Hong Tung Estate is a small household development which provides flats for small families and singleton and two-member units for senior citizens.

Mr Tung visited an elderly lady living by herself in a housing unit from December last year, after waiting for three-and-a-half years on the public housing waiting list. She was pleased to see Mr Tung visit her in the cold weather.

He then visited a five-member family, consisting a grandmother, parents and two children, in the same housing block. Registered with the housing waiting list in March 1995, the family, who has to take care of an elderly member, was given priority in housing allocation through the "Family with Elderly Priority" scheme. The family has been living in the unit since June this year.

At the temporary cold shelter at Causeway Bay Community Hall, the Chief Executive noted that in the heated premises, essential relief items, such as blankets, mattresses, hot water and cup noodles were distributed to the needy.

Mr Tung called on residents, in particular the elderly, to take extra care when temperature dropped. Younger members of the family should pay extra attention to their elderly relatives and visit them regularly during this weather, he added.

He noted that the Home Affairs Department had opened 10 temporary cold shelters throughout the territory. Anyone seeking temporary refuge may call the Department's Emergency Co-ordination Centre on 2835 1473 for more information.

Photo: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, visited an elderly singleton living in Hong Tung Estate, Sai Wan Ho. She was pleased to see Mr Tung visit her in the cold weather.

End/Tuesday, December 21, 1999

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