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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, today (March 26) visited two public rental housing estates in Tsuen Wan to see the Housing Department's efforts to improve the living environment for tenants.
Accompanied by Housing Authority Member, Mrs Pamela Chan Wong Shui, and the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing), Mr Thomas Chan, Ms Cheng first visited some residents at the SAGE Shek Wai Kok Home for the Elderly at Shek Wai Kok Estate.
She then visited a family in the estate to see the progress of the Housing Department's Total Maintenance Scheme.
Under the scheme, launched in 2006, Inspection Ambassadors engaged by the department would inspect public rental housing units to identify the internal maintenance problems. They would then make arrangements with the tenants to carry out the rectification work promptly.
The Inspection Ambassadors have so far successfully inspected about 93,000 flats. The inspection and maintenance works for more than 680,000 units in 192 public housing estates will be completed by 2011.
Ms Cheng then visited Cheung Shan Estate to see the improvement works in the common areas. These included the addition of recreation facilities and re-flooring of the corridors tiles.
She was also briefed about a programme to renew electrical cables inside domestic units of the older public rental housing estates.
The rewiring programme covering 180,000 units in 68 public rental housing estates was rolled out in 2005. It aims to tackle problems arising from obsolete power supply devices, inadequate electrical sockets and ageing cables inside the housing units. The rewiring works in 20 housing estates have been carried out. The entire programme will be completed by 2014.
Ends/Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:30
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