WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1983
PUBLIC WORKS SPENDING HIGHEST EVER
*****
THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC WORKS IN THE YEARS TO COME, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR DAVID MCDONALD, SAID TODAY.
SPEAKING DURING A VISIT TO MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS IN THE NEW TOWNS, HE SAID THAT WORK WOULD START THIS YEAR ON $3.4 BILLION WORTH OF NEW PROJECTS.
+THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE THIS YEAR ON THESE NEW PROJECTS AND ON THOSE ALREADY UNDERWAY WOULD COME TO $7.6 BILLION, MR MCDONALD SAID.
+AS WORK ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS WILL CONTINUE FOR YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED ITSELF FINANCIALLY TO THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY WELL INTO THE 1990S.+
MR MCDONALD SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS SPENDING MORE THIS FINANCIAL YEAR THAN IT HAD EVER SPENT BEFORE ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.
+THEREFORE, THERE IS NO CUT-BACK IN THE PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE THIS FINANCIAL YEAR ALTHOUGH THERE IS A REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF INCREASE IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING, HE SAID.
+YET, THIS YEAR'S ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE MORE THAN DOUBLES THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE IN 1980/81 OF $3.2 BILLION.+
OF THE $7.6 BILLION SET ASIDE FOR PUBLIC WORKS THIS YEAR, MORE THAN HALF WILL BE USED FOR THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS AND FOR PUBLIC HOUSING OTHER THAN THOSE BUILT BY THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
+LAST YEAR A TOTAL OF ABOUT $3.0 BILLION WAS SPENT FOR THIS PURPOSE, BUT THIS YEAR THE GOVERNMENT WILL SPEND ABOUT $3.8 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 20 PER CENT, MR MCDONALD SAID.
THE ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE FOR EACH OF THE NEW TOWNS FOR THIS FINANCIAL YEAR IS AS FOLLOWS:
*
SHA TIN
$927 MILLION
*
TAI PO AND FANLING
$853 MILLION
* TUEN MUN
$727 MILLION
* TSUEN WAN
$849 MILLION
★ JUNK BAY
$235 MILLION
* RURAL DEVELOPMENT
$210 MILLION
+WHILE THE