Officials have stepped up last-minute lobbying ahead of a final showdown today over 14 amendments tabled to water down a controversial compulsory redevelopment bill.
Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was trying to woo lawmakers who had not made it clear they would support deferral of the law's effective date by one year, according to an official familiar with the redevelopment policy.
The bill will be passed without any changes, unless a simple majority in both the geographical and functional constituencies supports any of the amendments proposed by five pan-democrat lawmakers and independent Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.
The minister was said to have lobbied lawmakers including the Federation of Trade Unions, which has four votes in the council. Last night, Wong Kwok-hing of the FTU said his camp tended to support the government without deferral.
'A mediation mechanism is necessary and I believe the government will introduce this in parallel with the bill,' Wong said. The DAB and the Liberals have indicated they will approve the bill. Earlier, the government said it was studying establishment of a mediation mechanism to settle acquisition price disputes and alternative ways of compensation. The law, to come into effect on April 1, would allow developers to seek compulsory sale of a building after acquiring 80 per cent of the property interests in it, down from the present 90 per cent. It would apply to three types of buildings: those with all units but one acquired; any blocks older than 50 years; and industrial blocks outside industrial zones that are older than 30 years. It will be the Lands Tribunal's responsibility to determine reserve prices after hearing submissions from both sides.
Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, one of those who tabled the amendment that proposes mediation before litigation, said this would save minority owners huge legal costs.