TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1983
THE OTHER THREE BILLS DUE FOR FINAL READING ARE
* ENTERTAINMENT TAX (AMENDMENT AND VALIDATION) BILL 1983, MAKING CLEAR THAT ADMISSION TO A RACE COURSE FOR CROSS BETTING IS SUBJECT TO TAX,
* TELECOMMUNICATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983,
WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
IN TELECOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, AND
* HOLIDAYS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983, WHICH
SIMPLIFIES THE OPERATION OF THE ORDINANCE.
TWO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' BILLS WILL ALSO BE INTRODUCED AND READ A SECOND TIME, PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT OF DEBATE TO DECEMBER 21,
THEY ARE THE METHODIST CHURCH, HONG KONG, INCORPORATION BILL 1983, WHICH WILL BE READ BY THE HON MARIA TAM, AND THE HONG KONG SEA CADET CORPS BILL 1983, WHICH WILL BE READ BY THE HON HU FA-KUANG.
IN ADDITION, 14 QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED, COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF MATTERS, FROM THE STANDARD OF AUDITING OF COMPANY ACCOUNTS, THE SALE OF ALCOHOL TO MINORS, TO TRIAD ACTIVITIES AND URBAN RENEWAL.
GOVERNMENT'S COMMUNITY-BUILDING ROLE DESCRIBED
******
THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ATTACHING GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE INTO COMMUNITIES IN NEW TOWNS, APART FROM PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT WORKS.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, AT A LUNCHEON GATHERING OF THE TUNG WAH ASSOCIATION OF PAST AND PRESENT DIRECTORS.
+WHAT GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THESE TOWNS ARE NOT JUST TALL BLOCKS FULL OF PEOPLE, BUT COMMUNITIES REAL COMMUNITIES WITH LIFE AND SPIRIT, COMMUNITIES IN WHICH PEOPLE SHARE MUTUAL CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH PEOPLE TAKE PRIDE TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH AND TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN WHICH PEOPLE CAN LIVE AND WORK HAPPILY, HE SAID.
MR MACPHERSON NOTED THE POPULATION IN THE NT HAD INCREASED FIVE-FOLD WITHIN 30 YEARS FROM 600 000 AT THE END OF THE 60'S TO OVER 3 000 000 BY THE END OF THE CENTURY.
IT IS ALL VERY WELL FOR US TO DESCRIBE THE NT POPULATION BUILD-UP IN TERMS OF NUMBERS AND STATISTICS, AND THE NEW TOWN PROGRAMMES IN TERMS OF UNITS OF HOUSING, NUMBERS OF SCHOOLS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT, AND TO CONGRATULATE OURSELVES OF HAVING DONE A GREAT JOB IN SUCCESSFULLY MOVING SO MANY PEOPLE FROM THE IR UNSATISFACTORY CROWDED AND NOISY URBAN DWELLING INTO NICE NEW HOUSING ESTATES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
/+BUT WE