WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1982
MTR LOAN GUARANTEE APPROVED
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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE TO COVER REPAYMENT OF A $66 MILLION LOAN INCURRED BY THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION.
THE SUM BORROWED UNDER THIS GUARANTEE WILL BE USED TO FINANCE THE ISLAND LINE CONTRACTS FOR THE SUPPLY, MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION OF TRAINBORNE AND TRACKSIDE EQUIPMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUNNELS BETWEEN SHAU KI WAN AND CHAT WAN DEPOT.
THIS BRINGS THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL GUARANTEE COMMITMENT IN RESPECT OF OUTSTANDING LOANS AVAILABLE TO THE MTRC TO $7 318 MILLION.
PRESERVING OUR MONUMENTS
FIFTEEN MONUMENTS - INCLUDING ANCIENT ROCK CARVINGS INSCRIPTIONS, FORTS, TEMPLES, VILLAGES AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN GAZETTED SINCE THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE CAME INTO EFFECT IN 1976, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY SAID TODAY.
IN ADDITION, ABOUT 400 RELATIVELY MINOR ITEMS OF HISTORIC VALUE SUCH AS MILESTONES ARE PROTECTED ADMINISTRATIVELY, MR BRAY SAID.
IN HIS REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO, MR BRAY SAID THE WORK ON PRESERVATION OF MONUMENTS, CARRIED OUT BY THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE IN THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED A BOOST BY THE CREATION THIS YEAR OF A BLOCK VOTE OF $1 MILLION FOR THE RESTORATION AND ANOTHER VOTE OF $250 000 FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF MONUMENTS.
*THE ORDINANCE ITSELF HAS RECENTLY BEEN COMPREHENSIVELY REVIEWED, RESULTING IN THE NUMBER OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO IMPROVE THE PROCEDURE OF LEGAL PROTECTION, HE SAID.
MR BRAY SAID HE HOPED AN AMENDMENT COULD BE PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHORTLY,
AS REGARDS PUBLICITY, HE SAID EVERY TIME SOMETHING OF HISTORIC VALUE IS DISCOVERED, GAZETTED, OR RESTORED, THERE IS USUALLY CONSIDERABLE PUBLICITY, BOTH IN NEWSPAPERS AND TELEVISION.
AN INFORMATIVE ANNUAL REPORT IS PUT OUT BY THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD AND IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE. THE CURRENT ONE IS NOW UNDER PREPARATION.
ALSO UNDER PREPARATION IS A BROCHURE BY THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS OFFICE ON WHAT IS BEING DONE TO PRESERVE MONUMENTS, HOW IT IS BEING DONE, AND THE MAIN ITEMS UNDER PROTECTION.
THE BROCHURE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
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