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THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1979
IN THIS ASPECT, HE POINTED OUT, HE ALSO HAD TO ENSURE THAT OUTSIDE THE NEW TOWNS LAND WAS PROPERLY USED AND THAT SUFFICIENT NEW LAND WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
+IN MY SECOND MAIN LINE OF DUTY, MR. SWEETMAN CONTINUED, +1 HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARDS, RURAL COMMITTEES, MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND OTHER SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS, AS WELL AS MY PERSONAL CONTACT, TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED MORE AND MORE IN MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR FUTURE AND THEY OBTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO DO.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THIS AIM COULD NOT BE ACHIEVED UNLESS ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE REGION WERE SEEN TO HAVE NOT ONLY A SENSIBLE POLICY FOR DEALING WITH THEIR PARTICULAR PROBLEM, BUT ALSO WERE CAPABLE AND ENTHUSIASTIC ENOUGH TO SOLVE THEM.
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HE EMPHASISED THAT HIS THIRD DUTY THAT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES WAS OF EQUAL IF NOT GREATER IMPORTANCE.
+ALTHOUGH WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS IN AIR POLLUTION, THE HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF PIG AND CHICKEN FARMING IN THE REGION, PARTICULARLY, IN THOSE AREAS UPSTREAM OF THE NEW TOWNS PRESENTS US WITH A GREAT CHALLENGE,+ MR. SWEETMAN SAID.
HE INDICATED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOLVING THIS PROBLEM BY COMPARING POLLUTION IN RURAL AREAS WITH THAT IN A TOWN.
+ IT IS ESTIMATED THAT POLLUTION CAUSED BY PIG FARMING IN THE YUEN LONG PLAIN ALONE IS THE EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF A TOWN OF 800,000 PEOPLE, HE SAID.
ON HOUSING, HE SAID THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT WAS WELL-KNOWN, AND EVEN IN THESE TIMES OF CAUTION IN PUBLIC SPENDING, THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME WAS BEING MAINTAINED.
+THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALSO HAS A LARGE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE TO THE BUILDING UP OF THE REGION, AND I AM HAPPY TO ENCOURAGE LARGE-SCALE COMPREHENSIVE PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN THE REGION'S DEVELOPMENT, MR. SWEETMAN SAID.
+HOWEVER, IT IS USELESS TO BUILD NEW HOMES WITHOUT THE ESSENTIAL INDÚSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT AND TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND WITHOUT THE SCHOOLS, CLINICS AND HOSPITALS WHICH ANY PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY INSISTS UPON.+
HE SAID THE NEEDS OF TRANSPORT WERE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVE ISOLATION OF THE REGION FROM THE MAIN INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRES OF HONG KONG.
/IN THE........