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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1983*
+THIS PROCEDURE ENABLES PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS TOWN PLANNERS, ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS TO APPRECIATE OTHER FACTORS WHICH ONLY PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVING IN THE VARIOUS PLANNING AREAS COULD BE AWARE OF, HE SAID.
+THIS INPUT IS OFTEN VERY PRACTICAL AND ADDS A HUMAN TOUCH TO THE DRAFT PLANS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY DRAWN UP IN ACCORDANCE WITH PLANNING GUIDELINES AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, HE SAID.
HE STRESSED THAT VIEWS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED, AND THEIR OPINIONS ARE PARTICULARLY VALUABLE AT A TIME OF FINANCIAL STRINGENCY.
IN THE CASE OF TUEN MUN, WHERE THE PACE AND SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT ARE DEMANDING, CO-ORDINATION OF THE WORKS PROJECTS IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY AND MINIMUM DISRUPTION AND INCONVENIENCE TO RESIDENTS.
MR FUNG POINTED OUT THAT ANOTHER IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE DISTRICT BOARD IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN IS TO SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS TO COMMUNITY SERVICES AND FACILITIES.
MR FUNG CITED TWO TYPICAL EXAMPLES WHEN THE DISTRICT BOARD HAD EFFICIENTLY REACTED TO AND TACKLED PROBLEMS.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THE BUS SERVICE PROBLEM A FEW YEARS AGO IN TAI HING ESTATE - THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE IN TUEN MUN WITH OVER 40 000 PEOPLE - WHERE QUEUES WERE SEEN AT THE BUS TERMINUS AS EARLY AS 4.30 AM.
AS A RESULT OF ACTION BY THE DISTRICT BOARD, THEN KNOWN AS THE DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD, IN NEGOTIATING WITH THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE BUS COMPANY, A FOUR-MINUTE WAITING TIME FOR SERVICE WAS WORKED OUT. THIS WAS THEN CLOSELY MONITORED TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHEDULE WAS ADHERED TO.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WAS THE PROVISION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES FOR CHILDREN IN TUEN MUN. AS 37 PER CENT OF THE POPULATION WAS UNDER 14, THERE WAS A BIG DEMAND FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES THERE, AND COVERED PLAYGROUNDS OF SOME SCHOOLS HAD TO BE CONVERTED INTO CLASSROOMS.
AGAIN, HE SAID THE DISTRICT BOARD WAS QUICK TO REACT TO THIS SITUATION, AND MADE SUGGESTIONS TO GOVERNMENT ON HOW TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. THE SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE:
(A) IN THE SHORT-TERM, PROVISION OF REPLACEMENT COVERED PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE AFFECTED SCHOOLS IN NEARBY OPEN SPACES
(B) IN THE LONG-TERM, CONSTRUCTION OF ADDITIONAL PRIMARY
SCHOOLS:
(C) RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL CATCHMENT SYSTEM TO CREATE
A BALANCE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF SCHOOLS IN EACH CATCHMENT; AND
(D)
CONSTRUCTION OF FLEXI-SCHOOLS+ WHICH ARE CAPABLE OF BEING CONVERTED INTO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN FUTURE.
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