Inspectors to look out for illegal land users
Teams of private inspectors are to be used from next year to spot sites illegally occupied by land owners.
This follows a number of cases recently that were uncovered by the media and the Audit Department.
Director of Lands Annie Tam Kam-lan said the government was reviewing its measures for preventing sites under short-term tenancy from being used illegally and proposed new measures - including outsourcing of inspections - would be released for consultation by the end of the year.
Ms Tam also said the department was following up the latest case, in which toys magnate Francis Choi Chi-ming was found in September to have erected unauthorised structures, including a covered car space, a dog kennel and a storage place, on government land next to his home.
The action follows the highly publicised case of Daniel Heung Cheuk-kei, a cousin of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who converted a warehouse in Kwun Yam Shan village, Sha Tin, into a luxury villa.
Ms Tam told the Legislative Council's development panel that a commission of 12 lands officers had been set up to review the management problems arising from sites under short-term tenancy.
More effective measures would be proposed to Legco by the end of the year, including hiring inspectors to spot unlawfully occupied sites. 'We hope to implement the new measures early next year,' she said.
In the case of Mr Choi, Ms Tam said unauthorised structures had been found alongside the tycoon's home in Kau To, Sha Tin, as early as 2002.
These had been regularised on application from Mr Choi, who had been charged HK$254,000 for the unauthorised occupation.
But a newspaper reported last month that additional unauthorised structures were found on the site. Ms Tam said yesterday Mr Choi would be asked to clear the site within two months after the department had reviewed the case.
To discourage illegal occupation of government sites, she said the department was also considering streamlining the procedures for renting sites for short-term tenancy.
Panel member Albert Chan Wai-yip said penalities such as fines should be introduced to increase the department's enforcement power.
Panel chairman Lau Wong-fat said the government should ensure the inspection teams did not abuse their power when enforcing the law.
Taking over
The number of tenants issued warnings this year for tenancy breaches: 663
