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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 1988
EARLY HISTORY OF LPW REVEALED THAT IT WAS INITIATED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 1919 AS A SELF-HELP SCHEME IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WHEREBY MATERIALS SUCH AS CEMENT, BARS AND PIPES WERE SUPPLIED TO VILLAGERS FOR THEM TO UNDERTAKE MINOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS.
AT THAT TIME THE ISLANDS DISTRICT WAS RELATIVELY SECLUDED, THUS THE EMPHASIS WAS ON THE PROVISION OF BASIC FACILITIES TO IMPROVE THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE ISLANDERS SO AS TO ATTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
HITHERTO THE 19603, AGRICULTURE WAS THE MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY OF THE ISLANDERS. SMALL IRRIGATION PROJECTS OF THE LPW HAD LED TO AN INCREASE IN THE ACREAGE UNDER CULTIVATION WHICH SUFFICIENT 'TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY то THE WELFARE OF THE VILLAGERS CONCERNED.
WAS
BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE LPW EVEN STRETCHED ΤΟ THE FRINGE AREAS AS THE BREAKWATER BUILT IN 1960 ON SOKO ISLANDS AND THE TWO DIESEL ELECTRICITY GENERATORS INSTALLED IN PO TOI COULD ILLUSTRATE.
HOWEVER, OVER THE YEARS, THE VARIETY OF PROJECTS HAS INCREASED AND THE SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE LPW HAVE GRADUALLY GROWN BEYOND THE VILLAGERS ' ABILITY TO HANDLE THEM.
OFFICE ΤΟ OF THE LPW
IN 1959 A WORKS SECTION WAS SET UP IN THE DISTRICT
+ TAKE UP FORMALLY THE CO-ORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS.
EMPHASIS OF THE LPW HAS ALSO RECREATIONAL AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS PLAYGROUNDS, BASKETBALL COURTS, VAN TRACKS POPULAR PROJECTS.
SHIFTED TO CATER FOR THE OF THE ISLANDERS. HENCE, AND FOOT BRIDGES BECAME
AT PRESENT, PROJECTS ARE NORMALLY INITIATED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS THROUGH THEIR VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVES OR RURAL COMMITTEES OR BY DISTRICT OFFICE STAFF IN THE COURSE OF THEIR CONTACTS WITH THE RURAL COMMUNITIES.
WHEN A REQUEST FOR A LPW PROJECT IS RECEIVED, STAFF OF THE WORKS SECTION WILL FIRST MAKE A BRIEF APPRAISAL. FOLLOWED BY SITE VISIT AND PREPARATION OF A WORK PLAN.
ALMOST ALL PROJECTS ARE CARRIED OUT UNDER THE CONTRACT SYSTEM WHEREBY STAFF OF THE WORKS SECTION PRODUCE SETS OF DETAILED DRAWINGS AND BILLS OF QUANTITIES, AND TENDERS ARE CALLED.
USUALLY A PROJECT WILL TAKE WITHIN FOUR MONTHS TO COMPLETE AFTER IT HAS BEEN CONTRACTED OUT.
THIS YEAR, THE ISLANDS DISTRICT LPW HAS INDEED COME A LONG WITH A RECORD ALLOCATION OF MORE THAN $4 MILLION WHEN COMPARED THE MEAGRE $5,000 FOR THE WHOLE NEW TERRITORIES IN 1919.
WAY
WITH
/IN 1988-89.