Land Registry celebrates its 15th anniversary (with photo)

The Land Registry would spare no effort in further enhancing its efficiency and quality of services to the public, the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, said today (October 27).

Mrs Lam was speaking at a reception and launching of an exhibition at the Queensway Government Offices to mark the 15th anniversary of the Land Registry.

The Land Registry was established in 1993 as one of the first trading fund departments. The purpose of setting up the Land Registry Trading Fund was to offer an operating framework with greater resource flexibility in upgrading the quality of its services to meet public demand.

Mrs Lam said, "These 15 years have not been plain sailing. The Land Registry has had to adapt rapidly to boom time and to bust during the period in light of considerable fluctuations in the property market.
"Looking ahead, the department will continue to invest in new systems and in preparing staff to offer even better service to its customers. It is also pressing on with the work needed to ensure a smooth and successful conversion from our old system of deeds registration to a comprehensive title register.

"This is no easy reform, but it is needed to strengthen the foundation of security for property and land rights in Hong Kong."

The Land Registrar, Mr Kim Salkeld, said, "Over the past 15 years, the men and women of the Land Registry have worked together to build and maintain trust in the land register so that all the families and businesses in Hong Kong who own and deal in property can go about their lives and business more easily, more securely and more happily.

"I would like to thank all staff, our customers and partners for their support, ideas and encouragement over the first 15 years in which the Land Registry has operated as an individual agency. They have witnessed the development of the Land Registry and our delivery of quality services to the community."

The 15th anniversary is also a milestone of reforming the land registration system in Hong Kong, with title registration to be implemented. The move will align Hong Kong with the standards adopted in other leading jurisdictions like Australia, England, Canada and Singapore where title registration is in force.

As mentioned by the member of Hong Kong Law Society's Title Registration Working Party, Mr Andy Ngan, the new system would reduce risks for people dealing with property, simplify conveyancing procedures and lower the industry's transaction costs.

The Government aimed to introduce the Land Titles (Amendment) Bill into Legislative Council in 2009, and to begin title registration one year after the Bill's enactment, Mr Salkeld said.

The exhibition showcasing the services and future projects of the Land Registry will be staged on the Deck Floor, High Block, Queensway Government Offices from tomorrow (October 28) to November 4.

More details about the Land Registry's 15th anniversary are available at http://www.landreg.gov.hk/.

Ends/Monday, October 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:28

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The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam (centre); Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands), Mr Raymond Young (right); and Land Registrar, Mr Kim Salkeld, officiate at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick off an exhibition at Queensway Government Offices today (October 27) to mark the Land Registry's 15th anniversary.

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