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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1980
BUDGET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES
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GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES, IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, WILL INCLUDE $1 900 MILLION FOR THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS, A 41 PER CENT INCREASE ON THE 1979-80 REVISED ESTIMATE, AND $549 MILLION FOR 22 RAILWAY PROJECTS.
THERE WILL ALSO BE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT AT THE AIRPORT, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO WATER SUPPLIES AND ROAD COMMUNICATIONS WHILE THE MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY CORPORATION ESTIMATES THAT IT WILL SPEND ABOUT $2_000 MILLION, EXCLUDING FINANCE CHARGES, DURING 1980 LARGELY ON THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION,
MANY OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY STARTED AND INCLUDE THE START OF CONSTRUCTION ON STAGE 1 OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR PLANNING AND DESIGN WORK FOR RECEPTION AND TRANSFER FACILITIES TO HANDLE INCREASED SUPPLY OF WATER BEYOND 1983 FROM THE EAST RIVER- AND DOUBLE TRACKING FROM HUNG HOM TO TAI PO AND EVENTUALLY TO LO WU WITH THE NEW DOUBLE-TRACK TUNNEL THROUGH BEACON HILL WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 1981.
GOVERNOR VISITS TICD
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING TOURED THE OCEAN CENTRE OFFICES OF THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT.
AT A ONE-HOUR MEETING WITH THE FULL DIRECTORATE, THE GOVERNOR DISCUSSED THE DEPARTMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE, THESE INCLUDED THE MODERNISATION OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS, CONSUMER PROTECTION, TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, AND THE NEW IMPETUS TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH WILL COME FROM IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION.
ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR, MR BILL DORWARD, THE GOVERNOR VISITED THE GROUND FLOOR LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION ISSUING OFFICES. SIR MURRAY WAS TOLD BY MR DOUGLAS JORDAN, COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS THAT LAST YEAR THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 823 000 TEXTILE EXPORT LICENCES AND NEARLY 64 000 CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN AND GENERAL PREFERENCE CERTIFICATES FOR HONG KONG PRODUCTS VALUED AT $24 000 MILLION REPRESENTING 43 PER CENT OF ALL DOMESTIC EXPORTS IN 1979.
MR GORDON MORTIMER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR (ADMINISTRATION) SAID THAT NEARLY 2.5 MILLION DECLARATIONS FOR IMPORTS, EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS WERE LODGED LAST YEAR, AND AD VALORUM DUTIES TOTALLING $81 MILLION WERE COLLECTED.
/THE WORK