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■香港需要發展新界東北滿足未來人口需求。圖為新界東北地區。 資料圖片
政府就新界東北發展區規劃研究已進入最後階段，上水鄉事委員會9月21日與政府代表舉行會議，討論賠償等問題。開發新界東北增加土地供應，滿足市民房屋需求是香港自身發展的需要。受影響居民提出安置補償要求可以理解，但當局在照顧受影響居民的同時，也應注意按規矩辦事，遵守善用公帑原則，補償情理兼備，既做到順利開發新界東北，又不會為以後的發展收地留下爭議後患。
香港需要發展新界東北滿足未來人口需求。現時包括原居民、非原居民和其他民間團體紛紛就發展東北提出意見。有個別反對團體訴諸激進手法叫停發展計劃，有村民指有政黨組織和非原居民越俎代庖，代替他們發表反對發展的意見。這不僅是把少數人的要求凌駕於整體社會利益之上，而且對擁有土地而希望發展的原居民不公平。
發展新界東北是當局早於1998年《新界東北規劃及發展研究》提出的構思；事隔14年，增加土地供應以興建公私營房屋滿足需求，已是社會各界共識。發展新市鎮耗時多年，新界東北新區的公屋最快於2022年始落成，如不及時開始發展計劃，香港房屋供不應求的問題將拖延下去。
Balance interests of all parties; be sensitive and rational in making compensation
The North East New Territories New Development Areas Planning and Engineering Study conducted by the government has entered the final stage. On 21 September, the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee held a meeting with government representatives to discuss various issues which included compensation. Developing North East New Territories can increase land supply and satisfy the housing demand of the people; it is a move warranted by the domestic needs of Hong Kong. It is understandable for the affected residents in the areas to ask for relocation compensation. However, the authorities, while considering the needs of the residents, should also bear in mind that they have rules to follow and that they should adhere to the principles of using public funds wisely. The government has to be both sensitive and rational when dealing with compensation matters so as to ensure that the development of North East New Territories can proceed smoothly and that no unresolved issues remain to cause disputes that may hamper land acquisition for future development.
Hong Kong needs to develop North East New Territories to satisfy the demand of population growth in future. Currently, indigenous and non-indigenous inhabitants and other non-governmental bodies have all shown up to voice their opinions on the development of North East New Territories. Certain individual opposition groups used radical means to call for a stop of the plan. At the same time, some villagers complained about political parties and non-indigenous inhabitants who took the matter in their hands and voiced opposition as if they were representing the villagers. This is not just putting the demand of a small group of people before the overall interests of Hong Kong, but is also unfair to the indigenous inhabitants who own the land and wish to see development.
The concept of developing North East New Territories was first raised in the 1998 Planning and Development Study on North East New Territories (NENT Study). Now, after 14 years, society has reached a consensus and agreed that land supply should be increased for building public and private housing to meet the demand. It takes many years to build a new town and the public housing projects in the North East New Territories New Development Areas will not be completed before 2022. If the plan cannot commence in time, the problem of housing shortage in Hong Kong will never be resolved. ■Translation by Tung-ming (tungming23@gmail.com)
逢周五見報
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