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RPIS projects benefit rural residents and visitors
The Home Affairs Department is committed to speeding up the implementation of the rest of the Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) Minor Works projects to create a better rural environment in the New Territories, the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Shelley Lau, reaffirmed this today (Saturday).
Speaking at a ceremony marking the completion of one of HAD's latest RPIS Minor Works projects, the Tsing Lung Tau Pier in Tsuen Wan, Mrs Lau said the key to the successful implementation of RPIS minor works programme was local consultation and co-operation through HAD's established liaison network and close ties with the local community.
A two-tier administrative structure, the RPIS Minor Works Steering Committee and the nine district working groups, encourages local input in the programme's project progress.
Mrs Lau said HAD employed outside specialist contractors in the design and construction of projects to expedite the projects' completion.
Turning to the $4.19 million Tsing Lung Tau Pier project, Mrs Lau said more than 1,000 local residents and passengers would directly benefit from it each day.
The pier is 95 metres long with separate boarding bays for medium and small size vessels.
The original Tsing Lung Tau Pier was built by villagers living in Northeast Lantau in 1960. Since then, regular "kaito" service was established to ply between Tsing Lung Tau and the northern part of Lantau. In 1970, funds were allocated to enable villagers to build a stone pier to replace the original one.
She said $4.2 million worth of RPIS Minor Works projects were launched over the past year in Tsuen Wan district alone while another $5 million will be spent on other projects starting in March next year.
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