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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1993
FUNDS APPROVED FOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS REMAIN UNUSED
* * * * *
THERE ARE 13 PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS WHERE FUNDS APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS REMAIN YET UNUSED.
THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY,
MR DONALD TSANG, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG MAN-KWONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE SAID THE FUNDS REMAINED UNUSED ON PROJECTS BECAUSE:
* LAND RESUMPTION HAD TAKEN LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED ON TWO
PROJECTS;
* THREE PROJECTS HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED TO OTHER AGENCIES TO CARRY OUT AND PAYMENT WAS ONLY MADE WHEN THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED TO THE GOVERNMENT'S SATISFACTION;
* FOUR PROJECTS WERE BUILD-OPERATE-TRANSFER WHERE STAGED
PAYMENTS WERE MADE AGAINST SPECIFIED CONTRACT MILESTONES. THE FIRST PAYMENT WAS TYPICALLY ONLY MADE NINE TO EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER CONSTRUCTION STARTED;
* TWO PROJECTS WERE AWAITING RESOLUTION BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND
BRITISH GOVERNMENTS; AND
* TWO PROJECTS HAD BEEN FUNDED FROM OTHER SOURCES.
HE ALSO SAID THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED ΤΟ RE-APPLY TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR EXTRA FUNDS. FUNDS REMAINED UNUSED WITHIN A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT WERE NORMALLY RE-ALLOCATED TO FUND NEW PROJECTS AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNUAL RESOURCE ALLOCATION EXERCISE, SUBJECT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S APPROVAL.
ON THE DELIVERY OF PROJECTS, MR DONALD TSANG SAID THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS HAD BEEN MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHAIRING THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRESS COMMITTER TO MONITOR PROGRESS ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS AND TO INTRODUCE REMEDIAL ACTION IF NECESSARY.
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KARAOKE LOUNGES SUBJECT TO FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENT
AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN SET UP OPTIONS FOR THE REGULATION OF KARAOKE LOUNGES.
то STUDY
THIS WAS STATED BY SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, IN A REPLY TO DR THE HON TANG SIU-TONG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
AMONG OTHER THINGS, A LICENSING SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED, TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF UNDERAGE GIRLS WORKING IN KARAOKE ESTABLISHMENTS, AND TO PRESCRIBE HYGIENE, FIRE AND BUILDING SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, HE SAID.
/ALL PREMISES