MONDAY, MAY 10, 1982
SIR PHILIP OPENS ENLARGED MTR SYSTEM
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PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAVE, SINCE 1980, COME TO APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING ON A MODERN UNDERGROUND RAILWAY, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID THIS MORNING.
OPENING THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION'S TSUEN WAN LINE, SIR PHILIP SAID AVAILABLE TO THEM NOW IS AN ENLARGED SYSTÉM -- AND I MIGHT ADD, THE ELECTRIFIED INNER SUBURBAN SERVICE OF THE KCR -- AND, HOPEFULLY, BY 1985 THE MTR'S ISLAND LINE WILL BE COMPLETED.+
SIR PHILIP PAID A SINCERE TRIBUTE TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAD +A MULTITUDE OF TASKS TO UNDERTAKE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS MOST COMPLEX FACILITY+.
+50, IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I NOW DECLARE THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION'S TSUEN WAN LINE OFFICIALLY OPEN,+ HE SAID.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF SIR PHILIP'S SPEECH R
+MR THOMPSON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
+ DEEM IT A SIGNAL HONOUR TO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO OPEN THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION TO THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AND THIS OCCASION CERTAINLY DOES BRING BACK VIVID MEMORIES OF THOSE HECTIC DAYS SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY WAS ENGAGED ON ITS TASKS. BUT IT IS THE CORPORATION WHICH HAS BROUGHT THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM AND NOW THIS EXTENSION TO REALITY.
+WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED, IN THE EARLY 1970'S, TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF A MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY IN HONG KONG, TIMELY COMPLETION AND ADHERENCE TO BUDGETED ESTIMATES WERE LAID DOWN AS TWO IMPERATIVES. THE CORPORATION OBEYED THESE IMPERATIVES WITH THE MODIFIED INITIAL SYSTEM, AND HAS DONE SO AGAIN WITH THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION,
+THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN THE EQUITY OF THE MTRC IS MASSIVE AND SO ARE ITS DEBT SERVICE OBLIGATIONS.
+A FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE CORPORATION TO OBEY THESE TWO IMPERATIVES WOULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS DETRIMENTAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THE VIABILITY OF THE CORPORATION ITSELF. FOR THE STATE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCES AND FOR THE PUBLIC GENERALLY WHO SINCE 1980, HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE THE BENEFITS OF TRAVELLING ON A MODERN UNDERGROUND RAILWAY. AVAILABLE TO THEM NOW IS AN ENLARGED SYSTEM -- AND, I MIGHT ADD, THE ELECTRIFIED INNER SUBURBAN SERVICE OF THE KCR AND, HOPEFULLY, BY 1985 THE MTR'S ISLAND LINE WILL BE COMPLETED.