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SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1984
(3)
THE NEED FOR A BODY TO BE SET UP WHICH COULD BE A SOUNDING BOARD FOR CONSUMER OPINIONS TO ARRIVE AT A REASONABLE IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE REGARDED AS UNSCRUPULOUS PRACTICE.
+ IT IS THROUGH THE INDIRECT HELP OF GOVERNMENT IN SUBSIDISING SUME OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COUNCIL, THAT THE COUNCIL IS ABLE TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE IN CONSUMER PROTECTION AND IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE DISSEMINATION OF REGULAR, IMPARTIAL AND OBJECTIVE INFORMATION AND VIEWPOINTS, HE SAID.
MORE SCHOOLS IN TAI PO PLANNED
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THERE ARE PLANS TO BUILD NINE PRIMARY AND EIGHT SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TAI PO BY 1990 TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING.
OF THESE, A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN KWONG FUK ESTATE WILL BE COMPLETED IN JULY THIS YEAR AND IS EXPECTED TO START OPERATION IN SEPTEMBER.
MR MACPHERSON WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE TAI PO PUBLIC SCHOOL IN KWONG FUK ESTATE.
HE SAID TAI PO WAS UNDERGOING RAPID DEVELOPMENT, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF AN OLD MARKET TOWN INTO A NEW TOWN WAS ACCOMPANIED BY AN INFLUX OF RESIDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.
KWONG FUK ESTATE, FOR INSTANCE, IS ONE OF THE NEW PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN TAÍ PO AND WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE A POPULATION OF 35 000 OF WHICH ONE THIRD WILL BE OF SCHOOL AGE.
MR MACPHERSON SAID THIS DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTIC WAS LIKELY TO BE TYPICAL FOR THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE.
HE SAID THE ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS WOULD PROVIDE TAI PO'S CHILDREN WITH PROPER EDUCATIONAL PREMISES AND FACILITIES TO PREPARE THEM FOR A FULL ROLE IN SOCIETY.
HE SAID THAT THE RE-OPENING OF THE TAI PO PUBLIC SCHOOL WHICH HAS A LONG HISTORY DATING BACK TO 1946 -- IN KWONG FUK ESTATE POPULATED MAINLY BY NEW RESIDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT WAS ALL THE MORE MEANINGFUL.
THIS WAS BECAUSE A LOCAL TRADITIONAL ORGANISATION WAS TAKING THE LEAD IN PROMOTING SOCIAL INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW RESIDENTS HERE, HE SAID.
+THIS SPIRIT IS MOST ESSENTIAL FOR A DEVELOPING NEW TOWN AS IT FOSTERS SOCIAL HARMONY AND A SENSE OF IDENTITY WHICH WOULD HELP DEVELOP THE SORT OF HAPPY COMMUNITY WE ALL AIM FOR, HE SAID.
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