Aware
I refer to the letter headlined, 'At risk', which was published in the South China Morning Post, on October 11, concerning security measures in Yuen Long Estate.
As Yuen Long Estate has been marked for redevelopment in 2000/2001, intake of new residents is now frozen, resulting in a number of vacant flats in the estate.
Estate management is aware of the residents' concerns over security in Yuen Long Estate. We have been in close contact with the Yuen Long Police Station in preventing and fighting crime in the estate.
Responding to the suggestions in your correspondent's letter, I would like to point out that a number of security improvements have been made by estate management: All the vacant flats at Yuen Long Estate are properly locked up and chained. A notice is posted on the gate of each vacant flat. This is also for the purposes of easy detection of any break-ins, as the notice will be torn off if someone attempts to force entry.
Staff from the estate office and security guards are patrolling the buildings every day and will carry out random checks on vacant flats. A list of vacant flats is sent to the police on a monthly basis.
Work has been under way to install security gates on the ground-floor entrances and exits in each block, scheduled to be completed in February of next year.
Efforts have also been made to increase the frequency of patrols. An extra night guard was hired last month and a 24-hour tower-guard service in each block will begin once the security gates are installed. We have also asked Yuen Long Police Station to step up police patrols.
Yuen Long Estate management will continue to make every effort to improve security in the estate. Apart from working closely with the police, we also need the co-operation of residents, for example, in reporting crimes, so that our efforts at improving the situation on the estate succeed.
S.C. CHEUNG Assistant Housing Manager Yuen Long Estate