FRIDAY, JUNE 9, 1978
DIRECTOR OF N.T. DEVELOPMENT RETIRING
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MR. J.R. WHITAKER, DIRECTOR OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT, WILL PROCEED ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE LATER THIS MONTH AFTER NEARLY 24 YEARS SERVICE WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AT A CEREMONY AT THE P.W.D.'S CONFERENCE ROOM TODAY. THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, PRESENTED HIM WITH A FAREWELL GIFT ON BEHALF OF HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
MR. MCDONALD RECALLED THAT MR. WHITAKER, KNOWN TO HIS COLLEAGUES
AS JAY, JOINED THE GOVERNMENT AS AN ENGINEER IN 1954.
WITHIN FOUR YEARS HE BECAME AN ASSISTANT CHIEF ENGINEER. HE THEN MOVED STEADILY UPWARDS THROUGH BOTH THE NEWLY FORMED CIVIL ENGINEERING AND HIGHWAYS OFFICES AND IT WAS IN 1971, HE WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT.
MR. MCDONALD SAID: IN 1973 IT BECAME NECESSARY TO FORM A NEW DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE P.W.D. IN ORDER TO CO-ORDINATE THE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS IN MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 10-YEAR HOUSING PROGRAMME SET BY THE GOVERNOR.
+THE PROGRAMME ENTAILED THE CREATION OF NEW TOWNS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE NEW DEPARTMENT WAS THEREFORE NAMED THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
+THE MAN MOST SUITABLE TO HEAD IT WAS JAY, + MR. MCDONALD SAID. +SO HE MOVED FROM THE HEAD OF ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER AND HAD REMAINED IN THAT VERY RESPONSIBLE AND DIFFICULT POST FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.+
MR. WHITAKER'S SERVICES WERE RECOGNISED BY THE QUEEN WHEN HE WAS AWARDED THE IMPERIAL SERVICE ORDER IN THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST LAST WEEK, MR. MCDONALD SAID.
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