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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1993
FOR EDUCATION, RECURRENT EXPENDITURE WILL GO UP IN REAL TERMS BY 7.3 PER CENT TO $22.2 BILLION.
"BENEFITS IN THIS PROGRAMME AREA INCLUDE 785 ADDITIONAL PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS, SMALLER PRIMARY ONE CLASS SIZE, 30 MORE WHOLE-DAY PRIMARY SCHOOLS, AND 1,500 NEW FIRST-YEAR, FIRST-DEGREE PLACES, HE SAID.
FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT, EXPENDITURE WILL GO UP BY 42.8 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS TO $1.3 BILLION.
"THIS WILL BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR VARIOUS FACILITIES LIKE THE CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT CENTRE, THE REFUSE TRANSFER STATIONS, SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS, AND THE WEST NEW TERRITORIES LANDFILL,' MR YEUNG ADDED.
GROWTH IN REAL
**ALL THESE INCREASES REPRESENT EXPENDITURE TERMS, THAT IS TO SAY, THESE REFLECT GROWTH AFTER ALLOWING FOR INFLATION, HE SAID.
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ON UNDERSPENDING IN RESPECT OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR YEUNG SAID SPENDING IN 1992/93 WOULD BE $17.6 BILLION, AGAINST THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE OF $24.9 BILLION,
"THIS DEGREE OF UNDERSPENDING IS CLEARLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND- ONE WHICH MUST NOT CONTINUE, HE SAID.
"IT IS OUR FIRM INTENTION TO ENSURE THAT SPENDING ON THE CAPITAL WORKS PROGRAMME IN THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR WILL RETURN ΤΟ A LEVEL IN LINE WITH OUR GUIDELINE.
"THIS MUST BE ACHIEVED IF WE ARE TO DELIVER THE PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
"THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, WILL BE ANNOUNCING RANGE OF MEASURES TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH ON MARCH 3,' HE SAID.
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GOVT STAYS FIRM ON TUNG TAU, LAGUNA PROJECTS
THE GOVERNMENT HAS REAFFIRMED ITS RESOLVE TO PROCEED WITH THE HOSTEL PROJECT FOR SEVERELY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS IN TUNG TAU ESTATE AND THE ACTIVITY CENTRE AT LAGUNA CITY.
EXPLAINING THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL PANEL ON WELFARE SERVICES MEETING THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSIDERED AT LENGTH THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD BY RESIDENTS AGAINST THE PROJECT.
"BUT I MUST SAY I FIND THESE ARGUMENTS TOTALLY INVALID," MRS WONG SAID.
"IN FACT