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FRID...
APRIL 26, 1985
ON THE QUESTION OF GOVERNMENT QUARTERS, MR TSAO SAID THAT THE OBJECTIVE TOO WAS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON LEASING. HE NOTED THAT THE POLICY OF CIVIL SERVICE ZERO GROWTH THE POPULARITY OF THE HOME PURCHASE SCHEME. AND THE COMPLETION OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AND JOINT VENTURE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAD RESULTED IN A DECLINE IN THE DEMAND FOR QUARTERS.
+ IT NOW LOOKS AS IF WE SHALL BE ABLE TO GIVE UP AROUND 300 LEASED QUARTERS IN 1985-86 - THIS REPRESENTS A SAVING OF AROUND $30-40 MILLION IN A FULL YEAR. ON PRESENT PROJECTIONS WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE UP A SIMILAR AND PERHAPS EVEN LARGER NUMBER OF LEASES THE FOLLOWING YEAR,+ MR TSAO SAID.
HE CITED SOME STATISTICS TO HIGHLIGHT GOVERNMENT'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF PROPERTY. LEAVING ASIDE SPECIALIST BUILDING SUCH AS HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, FIRE STATIONS AND THE LIKE THE GOVERNMENT OCCUPIES MORE THAN 620 000 SQUARE METRES OF OFFICE SPACE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE AREA OF 80 FOOTBALL PITCHES.
AS FOR QUARTERS, THERE ARE SOME 17 500 DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS OCCUPIED MAINLY BY JUNIOR STAFF OF THE DISCIPLINED SERVICES AND BY OFFICERS WHO FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER HAVE TO LIVE NEAR THEIR JOBS. ALSO THERE ARE ABOUT 3 000 NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS FOR EXPATRIATE OFFICERS AND LOCAL OFFICERS WHO ARE ON OR ABOVE POINT 48 OF THE MASTER PAY SCALE.
APPOINTMENTS TO MTR BOARD ANNOUNCED
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THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTED MR YEUNG PO-KWAN AND HAS RE-APPOINTED MR OSWALD CHEUNG AND MR G. M. MACWHINNIE TO THE BOARD OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS FROM MAY 1, 1985.
MR YEUNG PO-KWAN IS REPLACING MISS LYDIA DUNN, WHO HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD SINCE 1979. MR YEUNG IS AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON A NUMBER OF PUBLIC BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, WHICH INCLUDES THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, BROADCASTING REVIEW BOARD AND CRIMINAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INJURIES COMPENSATION BOARDS.
THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY MR WILFRID NEWTON, ARE MR W.C.L. BROWN, MR C.H. TUNG, MR D.W.A. BLYE (SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS), THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE CORPORATION.
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