Tenancies that exceed this time frame should have a policy justification, the auditor said, but the Lands Department had no readily available information on why the tenants have been leasing the same land for such a long time. The department manages almost 5,600 such sites, covering more than 2,400 hectares across the territory. They comprise of unallocated government land that can be used for specific purposes set out in the tenancy agreements. The department should also do a better job of checking vacant sites, the commission said, as it found instances where the land was being used as an illegal dump site, or for parking. In response, the Lands Department said it accepts the recommendations put forward by the Director of Audit, and added that it will review its current guidelines to ensure the renewal of tenancies meet relevant rules.-Photo: RTHK

Source: The Standard April 29, 2020 09:22 UTC