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FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1993
"BY SPENDING THE EQUIVALENT OF $100 BILLION, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY HAVE PUT ROOFS OVER THE HEADS OF 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE.
"AND WE, IN GOVERNMENT, HAVE ALSO BUILT THE SCHOOLS, THE
MARKETS, THE ROADS, THE SHOPS AND THE CLINICS THAT ALL AND FAMILIES NEED.
THESE PEOPLE
"ALL OF THESE ADD UP, NOT ONLY TO EIGHT NEW TOWNS, BUT TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE.
1.
ON THE TIN SHUI WAI DEVELOPMENT, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT AS RECENTLY AS 1989, THERE WERE STILL FISH PONDS AND DUCK FARMS HERE.
"THE CHANGE OVER IN THESE FOUR YEARS HAS BEEN DRAMATIC, BUT
WORK IS STILL GOING ON.
"IN 1997, WITH AN IMPRESSIVE INVESTMENT OF $10 BILLION SHARED BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, WE WILL HAVE PUT IN PLACE NEW ROADS, SPORTS HALLS, GARDENS, SHOPPING CENTRES, A WATER SUPPLY AND A LIGHT-RAIL SYSTEM.
"AS A RESULT, 135,000 PEOPLE WILL BE PROUD TO CALL TIN SHUI WAI THEIR HOME.
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ALSO SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS MR JAMES BLAKE, SAID TIN SHUI WAI WAS UNIQUE AMONG HONG KONG'S NEW TOWNS FOR BEING A JOINT INITIATIVE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,
"THE TOWN STANDS AS A FITTING TESTIMONY TO THE SUCCESS OF THAT COMBINATION AND ALL INVOLVED MUST BE PROUD INDEED OF THIS FINE EXAMPLE TRANSFORMATION FROM RURAL SETTING TO NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, HE
OF SAID.
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GOVT KEEPS OPEN MIND ON SANDWICH CLASS HOUSING
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID HE HAD A VERY OPEN MIND ON THE MEANS TO IMPLEMENT THE SANDWICH CLASS HOUSING SCHEME PROPOSED IN HIS BUDGET.
SPEAKING ΤΟ REPORTERS AFTER MEETING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED DEMOCRATS ON THE BUDGET THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING, HE SAID HE FOUND THE REACTIONS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO THIS SCHEME USEFUL.
"MY AIM IS TO GET SOME RELIEF TO SOME OF THE SANDWICH CLASS FAMILIES FAIRLY QUICKLY. I'VE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO EARMARK $2 BILLION FOR THAT PURPOSE.
'I AM ENTIRELY OPEN TO IDEAS ABOUT THE BEST WAY OF USING THAT MONEY," HE SAID.
/WHEN ASKED