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WEDNESDAY, NOVIMBER 26, 1986
ON THE SUGGESTION THAT THE PROJECTED POPULATION IN JUNK BAY BE PROVIDED WITH A LINK INTO THE MAIN RAIL NETWORK, MR GREWAL SAID THAT ALTHOUGH IT HAD SOME OBVIOUS ATTRACTIONS, HE AGREED WITH THE VIEW THAT +WE SHOULD NOT RUSH INTO THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXPENSIVE FIXED TRACK TO JUNK BAY IN ORDER TO SERVE JUST ONE POPULATION CENTRE AT THE END OF THE TRACK+.
HE ADDED THAT SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD BE EXAMINED IN THE SECOND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY.
AS TO A CALL FOR A GOOD ROAD NETWORK, MR GREWAL SAID GOVERNMENT FULLY RECOGNISED ITS IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AND POINTED OUT THAT IN RECENT YEARS, APPROXIMATELY $1.6 BILLION HAD BEEN SPENT ON NEW ROADS ANNUALLY.
+THIS REPRESENTS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 PER CENT OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET AND ALTHOUGH THIS IS A VERY SUBSTANTIAL SUM IT IS STILL NOT ENOUGH TO BUILD ALL THE ROADS WE WOULD LIKE,+
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE SAID THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHER PRESSING CALLS ON THE PUBLIC PURSE.
THE SECOND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY, HE ADDED, HAD A PART TO PLAY, AS THE INTENTION WAS THAT THE STUDY TEAM SHOULD DEVELOP APPRAISAL TECHNIQUES WHICH WOULD HELP IN MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHICH MUST BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT MONEY AVAILABLE FOR HIGHWAYS WAS SPENT WHERE IT WOULD BE OF MOST BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
ACTION TAKEN TO DEFEND TRADE INTERESTS
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THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY ALERT TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE THREAT OF THE GROWTH OF PROTECTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO COUNTER PROTECTIONIST PRESSURES AND TO DEFEND HONG KONG'S TRADING INTERESTS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON STEUART WEBB-JOHNSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE RESUMED DE BATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS, MR WEBB-JOHNSON SAID HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN ITS OPEN MARKET POLICY AND FAIR TRADE PRACTICES.
IT WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO WERE WORRIED ABOUT HONG KONG'S EXPORTS TO THEIR MARKETS TO SELL MORE TO HONG KONG AND THROUGH HONG KONG TO OTHER GROWING MARKETS IN THE REGION.
IN THE