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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:
The Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Mr Michael Suen, saw the effectiveness of the Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement in Public Rental Housing (PRH) Estates during a visit to Tsz Ching Estate in Tsz Wan Shan today (January 25).
Accompanied by Housing Authority members Mr Chan Kam-lam and Mr Shih Wing-ching and Subsidised Housing Committee member, Mr. Albert So Chun-hin, Mr Suen first stopped at the Tsz Ching Estate Management Office to see how tenants used the new e-payment cards to pay their monthly rental.
The e-Payment cards will save $20 million a year in operating and staff costs following the phasing out of the existing 159 shroff offices from December this year.
Mr Suen and his party then went to the 26th floor of Ching Hong to see the progress of sterilisation inside a recovered PRH flat following an eviction operation in December last year.
The tenant refused to voluntarily move out of his flat following the independent Appeal Panel's decision to confirm the Notice-to-Quit issued by the Housing Authority after he was allotted 17 penalty points under the Marking Scheme.
Mr Suen, who is also chairman of the Housing Authority, was told that the refuse and waste left behind by the tenant filled 800 bamboo containers.
The party then went to the 25th floor to visit a family living a floor level directly below the recovered flat. The tenant told Mr Suen that he was impressed by the effectiveness of the Marking Scheme as he and his family had to bear with the nuisance caused by cockroaches, flies and mosquitoes from the upper floor.
While touring around the Tsz Wan Shan Shopping Centre, the group had a casual chat with tenants and shop operators to hear their views on renovating vacant retail premises to chain stores under the management of The Link Management Limited.
Before ending the visit, the group met members of the Estate Management Advisory Committees of Tsz Ching, Tsz Lok, Tsz Hong and Tsz Man Estates and Owners Committee of Fung Tak Estate to exchange views on estate management matters.
Ends/Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:58
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