URA welcomes appointments to the URA Board

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) today (Friday) welcomes the Government's re-appointment of Mr Barry Cheung Chun-yuen as the Chairman of the URA Board for a term of two years, effective 1 May 2013 when his current tenure expires on 30 April this year, as well as the new appointments and re-appointments to the URA Board.

Mr Barry Cheung said: "It is indeed a great honour to be re-appointed Chairman of the URA Board for a term of two years.  I am much obliged to the trust that the Government has placed in me, and the opportunity to be able to continue to play a key role in advancing urban renewal in Hong Kong.

"Improving the living environment of residents in dilapidated urban areas remains the core mission of the URA and a complex task as it affects the interests of different stakeholders.  

"Now that new initiatives such as demand-led redevelopment, facilitating services, and redevelopment of industrial buildings have been implemented in the form of pilot schemes, the URA is primed to ride on the good momentum and focus on speeding up the urban renewal process. Where appropriate, our sights can be set on larger scale projects in the old districts where more residents living in dire conditions can stand to benefit.

"I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the hard work put in by fellow members of the Board over the past years, without which the URA could not have achieved as much as it has. My sincere thanks to the eight retiring members for their invaluable contributions, and a very warm welcome to our 11 new members. The strong partnership that has been forged by the Board, its committees, the Management team and staff, the Government, and our many stakeholders has been one of the greatest strengths of the URA and will remain so in the time to come, guided by our 'people-first, district-based and public-participatory' approach," said Mr Cheung.

(ENDS)