MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1984
ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONTINUING WITH A SUBSTANTIAL PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC WORKS ON NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING HIGHWAYS AND OTHER FACILITIES, AND WITH PROGRAMMES IN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WELFARE, CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ALL THE OTHER AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR A SOPHISTICATED, MODERN AND CARING COMMUNITY.
+ELECTR IF ICATION AND MODERNISATION OF THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY, WHICH RUNS FROM KOWLOON TO OUR BORDER WITH CHINA, HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND LINE OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY IS WELL UNDERWAY. THE GOVERNMENT WILL SHORTLY BE ANNOUNCING A MAJOR CO-ORDINATED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE TERRITORY WHICH WILL TAKE US INTO THE 21ST CENTURY,+ HE TOLD THE SYMPOSIUM.
THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT, MAJOR C.G. BERNARD ALSO DETAILED FACILITIES AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG FOR THE OFFSHORE OIL INDUSTRY.
HE CALLED ON THE SWEDISH DELEGATION TO FURTHER LOOK INTO BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES WHICH HONG KONG OFFERS.
+SWEDEN IS VERY POORLY REPRESENTED IN HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SCENE, COMPARED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE USA, JAPAN, UK, AUSTRALIA AND HOLLAND, HE SAID.
TO ILLUSTRATE THE POTENTIAL, MAJOR BERNARD POINTED OUT THAT SINGAPORE WHICH HAD AN OLD AND WELL ESTABLISHED OFFSHORE OIL INDUSTRIAL BASE AND INDUSTRY SERVING OIL FIELDS IN INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES, HAD OVER 110 SERVICE SUPPLY AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, 33 OIL COMPANIES, 18 CONSULTANTS AND 15 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYORS.
HE ADDED THAT HONG KONG, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAD ONLY SOME 60 SUCH COMPANIES IN ALL.
+THE POTENTIAL, THEREFORE, FOR ESTABLISHING SIMILAR BUSINESSES HERE IN HONG KONG, AS DRILLING ACTIVITIES DEVELOP, WHETHER AS A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OR AS A JOINT VENTURE, IS CLEARLY VERY CONSIDERABLE.
+OF COURSE, MANY OF THE FACILITIES AND SERVICES REQUIRED WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OFFSHORE OIL BASES NOW BEING DEVELOPED CLOSE TO HONG KONG IN CHIWAN AND SHEKOU, HE SAID.
EVEN SO, HE ADDED, IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES WHICH HONG KONG ALONE COULD PROVIDE IN THE EARLY YEARS WOULD LEAD AT LEAST TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LIAISON OFFICES FOR COMMUNICATIONS, PERSONNEL MOVEMENTS CONTROL AND SUPPLIES PROCUREMENT.
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