WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978
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PROJECT MANAGERS FOR MARKET TOWNS
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SEVERAL MARKET TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES MAY HAVE THE IR OWN PROJECT MANAGER TO CO-ORDINATE DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. CHARLES YEUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A PLANNING OFFICER ALLOCATED FOR EACH NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERALL PLANNING AND DAY-TO-DAY LIAISON WITH DISTRICT OFFICERS AND THE PLANNERS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
+ IN THE NEW TOWNS THE CO-ORDINATION OF PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITY IS HANDLED BY THE PROJECT MANAGERS WHILE IN THE MARKET TOWNS AND RURAL TOWNSHIPS CONTROL IS, AT PRESENT, EXERCISED BY THE GOVERNMENT ENGINEER NEW TERRITORIES,+ HE SAID.
MR. MCDONALD SAID: +WHERE AN AREA IS IDENTIFIED IN WHICH PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITY IS OF SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE AND URGENCY A RECOMMEND- ATION WILL BE MADE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A SINGLE OFFICER TO
CO-ORDINATE DEVELOPMENT.
+ IN THIS CONNECTION, A PROPOSAL HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE CREATION OF A POST OF PROJECT MANAGER TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TAI PO, FANLING, SHEUNG SHUI AND SHEK WU HUI,+ HE ADDED.
PRIMARY SCHOOLING SCHEME SUCCESSFUL
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TOLD
THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT UNIVERSAL, FREE AND COMPULSORY PRIMARY SCHOOLING HAD PROVED GENERALLY SUCCESSFUL.
HE ALSO STATED THAT ONLY ABOUT ONE PER CENT OF THE CHILDREN BETWEEN SIX AND 11 YEARS OF AGE WERE ESTIMATED NOT TO BE AT SCHOOL AND MOST OF THEM LIVED AFLOAT.
MR. TOPLEY WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. Q.W. LEE ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPERIENCE IN IMPLEMENTING THE SCHEME INTRODUCED IN 1971 FOR UNIVERSAL, FREE AND COMPULSORY PRIMARY EDUCATION.
MR. TOPLEY ADDED SOME PARENTS STILL PREFERRED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
+NOT ALL CHILDREN ENTER THE PRIMARY COURSE AT AGE SIX, THERE ARE STILL SOME SIX AND SEVEN YEAR-OLDS IN KINDERGARTEN.
+THE PROPORTION OF PUPILS COMPLETING PRIMARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN INCREASING AND IS NOW ESTIMATED TO BE OF THE ORDER OF 95 PER CENT,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
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