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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1977

MASSIVE PROJECTS TO COST GOVERNMENT $6,000 MILLION IN THREE YEARS ******

THE GOVERNMENT IS TO SPEND MORE THAN $6 BILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS ON THE MASSIVE PROGRAMME OF PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNICATIONS, WITH FURTHER COMMITMENTS BEYOND THIS PERIOD

IN THE ORDER OF $12 BILLION.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, DURING THE ANNUAL POLICY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

TO GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE MAGNITUDE, IMMENSE SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE PROGRAMME, MR. MCDONALD MENTIONED A FEW OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS.

HE SAID THAT A VERY IMPORTANT SECTION OF THE PROGRAMME PROVIDED FOR A DEVELOPING ROAD NETWORK.

THIS INCLUDED THE AP LEI CHAU BRIDGE, THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL, THE EASTERN CORRIDOR ON HONG KONG ISLAND, THE SECOND LION ROCK TUNNEL, THE FULL SIX LANES OF THE TUEN MUN ROAD AND THE FIRST LEG OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TRUNK ROAD FROM SHA TIN TO TAI PO.

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT HIGH ON THE LIST OF ITEMS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WERE THE MANY LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

+ IN ABERDEEN, WESTERN DISTRICT AND CHEUNG SHA WAN, EXTENSIVE RECLAMATION PROJECTS ARE UNDER WAY,+ MR. MCDONALD SAID.

+ IN SHEK WU HUI IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ENGINEERING WORKS ARE STARTING ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER TANNERIES TO PROVIDE AREAS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, AND SIMILAR SCHEMES ARE UNDER WAY IN YUEN LONG, ON LANTAU AND CHEUNG CHAU AND IN SAI KUNG AND LAND FOR THE FIRST INDUSTRIAL ESTATE IS BEING FORMED AT TAI PO.

+BUT BY FAR THE MOST SPECTACULAR DEVELOPMENTS ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE THREE NEW TOWNS OF SHA TIN, TUEN MUN AND TSUEN WAN, WHERE LAND IS BEING FORMED AND SERVICED ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE TO PROVIDE THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE NEW TOWNS.+

MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT JUST AS IMPORTANT WERE THE BUILDING PROJECTS SPREAD THROUGHOUT HONG KONG THAT COMPLETED THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

SOME OF THESE, SUCH AS THE TWO TECHNICAL INSTITUTES BEING BUILT IN KOWLOON, AND THE HUNG HOM SPORTS STADIUM WOULD CREATE IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, WHILE OTHERS, LIKE THE GENERAL HOSPITAL IN SHA TIN AND THE FIRST FIVE DENTAL CLINICS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN TO BE BUILT AT MORRISON HILL, WOULD BRING ADVANTAGES, JUST AS APPARENT, BUT DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC AREAS, HE ADDED.

+

THE PROGRAMME

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