FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1993
11
"I AM CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL DO AN EXCELLENT JOB,"
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID, WHEN COMMENTING ON THE APPOINTMENT.
THE RHKAAF WILL BE DISBANDED AT THE END OF MARCH AND ALL ITS FUNCTIONS WILL THEN BE TAKEN OVER BY THE GFS, INCLUDING AIR SUPPORT TO THE POLICE ALONG THE BORDER AND IN ANTI-CRIME OPERATIONS, SEARCH AND RESCUE, EMERGENCY MEDICAL EVACUATION SERVICES, AIR SURVEY WORK AND OTHER FLYING SERVICES TO THE GOVERNMENT.
ON DISBANDMENT OF THE RHKAAF, THE COMMANDING OFFICER, WING COMMANDER PD YIP, WILL STEP DOWN BUT WILL BE HEADING THE VOLUNTEER SECTION IN THE GFS, AND THE CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, SQUADRON LEADER J G SHAWCROSS, WILL RETIRE.
MR ASPREY PAID TRIBUTE TO THE TWO FOR THEIR THE YEARS.
CONTRIBUTION OVER
1962; AND
HE NOTED THAT MR SHAWCROSS HAD JOINED THE RHKAAF IN HAD BEEN THE CHIEF STAFF OFFICER SINCE 1981 AND HAD DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB IN BUILDING UP THE RHKAAF AND PREPARING IT FOR ITS NEW CIVILIAN ROLE.
"THIS HAS BEEN A VERY DEMANDING TASK OVER MANY YEARS, INVOLVING THE TAKING ON OF NEW AND EXPANDED OPERATIONAL ROLES, THE BRINGING INTO OPERATION OF 16 NEW AIRCRAFT, THE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF 150 ADDITIONAL STAFF, AND RETRAINING OF EXISTING STAFF.
"WE SHALL ALL MISS HIS ENTHUSIASM AND DEDICATION TO MR ASPREY SAID,
THE JOB,"
**
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NT CIRCULAR ROAD VITAL TO DEVELOPMENT
THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC LINKS WITH CHINA, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID TODAY
(FRIDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FROM AU TAU TO FAN KAM ROAD, MR LEUNG SAID THIS ROAD WOULD SERVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN NEW TOWNS AND FACILITATE THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC WITH CHINA.
"CONSTRUCTION OF THIS 12-KILOMETRE SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD BETWEEN AU TAU AND FAN KAM ROAD HAS BEEN A MAJOR UNDERTAKING REQUIRING EIGHT YEARS TO COMPLETE, AT A COST OF $1 BILLION, MR LEUNG SAID.
"
THE ROAD HAS BEEN BUILT TO EXPRESSWAY STANDARDS AND INVOLVED THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE MAJOR INTERCHANGES, 15 HIGHWAY BRIDGES AND 12
FOOTBRIDGES.
PARALLEL SERVICE ROADS PROVIDE ACCESS AT THE INTERCHANGES FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND VILLAGES.
/MR LEUNG