SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1983
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INTERESTS OF NT RESIDENTS WELL LOOKED AFTER
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GREAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES NOT ONLY FOR THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION BUT ALSO FOR NEW NT RESIDENTS, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL HEUNG YEE KUK CHINESE NEW YEAR GATHERING, HE SAID THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH CONSTANT ENDEAVOURS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND WITH THE ADVICE OF BOTH THE KUK AND DISTRICT BOARDS.
+ NEW ROADS ARE BEING COMPLETED, THE KCR HAS BEEN UPGRADED AND ELECTRIFIED, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS ARE COMING ON STREAM AND IT IS PLEASING TO NOTE PROGRESS IN THE PROVISION OF SWIMMING POOLS, SPORTS GROUNDS AND TOWN HALLS AND PARKS, HE SAID.
+THESE ARE THE FACILITIES WHICH HELP TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND CREATE COMMUNITIES. I CAN FORESEE THE DAY NOT FAR OFF WHEN THE NT WILL BE BETTER OFF THAN THE OLDER URBAN AREAS IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES.+
MR MACPHERSON SAID ALTHOUGH THE YEAR OF THE DOG HAD BEEN A DIFFICULT ONE, SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES.
+THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO INVESTING HEAVILY AND VIGOROUSLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
+THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO BE DONE AND MANY ISSUES FOR US TO DISCUSS. THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT SIGNIFICANCE TO CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE FROM THE KUK, HE SAID.
EARLIER, THE KUK CHAIRMAN, MR LAU WONG-FAT, REVIEWED THE KUK'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE KUK IN ASSISTING GOVERNMENT ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.
HE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR A BALANCED APPROACH+ IN IMPLEMENTING THE LAND AND HOUSING POLICY SO THAT THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS RESIDENTS WOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED.
IN RESPONSE, MR MACPHERSON SAID: THIS IS INDEED THE LINE THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT IS TAKING AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACT THAT, APART FROM MY JOINT QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THE KUK TO DISCUSS MUTUAL PROBLEMS, TWO SPECIAL JOINT WORKING GROUPS HAVE BEEN SET UP IN THE PAST YEAR TO STUDY SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT ARE OF MAJOR CONCERN TO THE INDIGENOUS NT PEOPLE.
*THE FIRST IS THE SPECIAL WORKING GROUP ON LAND EXCHANGE ENTITLEMENTS WHICH HAS SATISFACTORILY RESOLVED THE QUESTION OF ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION FOR LAND RESUMED IN FUTURE FOLLOWING THE ABOLITION OF THE LETTER B SYSTEM.
*THE SECOND IS THE WORKING PARTY ON SMALL HOUSE POLICY IN WHICH WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY FRUITFUL DISCUSSION ON NEW DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS FOR SMALL HOUSES AND ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EXISTING POLICY. +
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