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MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1982
SHA TIN TOWN BUILDING UNEQUALLED
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THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TODAY (MONDAY) STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREFUL CO-ORDINATION AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS IN MOVING RESIDENTS INTO THE NEW TOWNS.
SPEAKING AT THE FIRST GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE KIANGSU- CHEK JANG COLLEGE IN SHA TIN, MR AKERS-JONES SAID IN 1970, 20 000 PEOPLE WERE LIVING IN SOME 40 RURAL VILLAGES IN SHA TIN.
*WE HAVE NOW CONSTRUCTED A MODERN TOWN IN WHICH 200 000 PEOPLE HAVE MADE THEIR HOMES.
+NOW, EVERY MONTH SHA TIN WELCOMES 7 000 NEW RESIDENTS AND IN TWO YEARS TIME SHA TIN WILL HOUSE NEARLY HALF A MILLION PEOPLE.
+THIS MASS MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE WHICH, IN TOWN BUILDING TERMS, HAS NO EQUAL IN THE WORLD, CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY CAREFUL CO-ORDINATION AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUCCESS OF THESE EFFORTS WAS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED BY THE POPULARITY OF SHA TIN AMONG ITS RESIDENTS.
+ THE TOWN PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES. IT HOUSES A UNIVERSITY, A SCHOOL OF COMMERCE, A MODERN HOSPITAL AND ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST EQUIPPED SPORTS TRAINING CENTRES.
+THERE ARE 26 PRIMARY SCHOOLS AND 12 SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AND 80 MORE ARE IN THE WORKS PROGRAMME, BUT IT IS PERHAPS A PITY THAT THERE IS NO PRIVATE NON-PROF IT MAKING OR PRIVATE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL IN SHA TIN,+
HE ADDED THAT RECENTLY THE SHA TIN DISTRICT BOARD HAD LENT ITS SUPPORT TO ESTABLISH PRIVATE NON-PROFIT MAKING SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.
+ THE COMMUNITY IS OBVIOUSLY ANXIOUS TO INTRODUCE A DIVERSITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS CHILDREN, AND I CERTAINLY FAVOUR AS MUCH VARIETY AS POSSIBLE IN THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL MAKE UP OF THE TOWN IN ORDER TO CREATE A LIVELY ENVIRONMENT, HE SAID.
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