XN000022-1977-11-21 — Page 2

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1977

HONG KONG TEXTILE NEGOTIATING TEAM RETURNS TO BRUSSELS

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THE HONG KONG NEGOTIATING TEAM LEFT HONG KONG YESTERDAY (NOVEMBER 20) AND WILL ARRIVE IN BRUSSELS TODAY.

THE TEAM, HEADED BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR. LAWRIE MILLS, HAS GONE BACK TO RESUME THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S TEXTILES EXPORTS TO THE EEC, WHICH WERE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED ON NOVEMBER 10.

LAI CHI KOK RECEPTION CENTRE HANDED OVER TO PRISONS DEPARTMENT

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THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, TODAY HANDED OVER TO THE COMMISSIONER OF PRISONS, MR. TOM GARNER, THE NEW $32 MILLION LAI CHI KOK RECEPTION CENTRE.

SPEAKING AT THE HAND ING-OVER CEREMONY, MR. MCDONALD DESCRIBED THE CENTRE A THE LARGEST PENAL INSTITUTION EVER COMPLETED IN HONG KONG IN THE POSTWAR YEARS.

DUE TO THE VERY COMPLICATED CIRCULATION PROBLEMS AND THE VARIOUS CONSTRAINTS IMPOSED BY SECURITY REQUIREMENTS, PRISON DESIGN PRESENTED ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT PLANNING PROBLEMS TO ARCHITECTS, HE ADDED.

THIS PROBLEM WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE LACK OF PUBLISHED INFORMATION ON PRISON ARCHITECTURE FOR SECURITY REASONS.

MR. MCDONALD EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND HIS STAFF. HE SAID HE DOUBTED WHETHER THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE COULD HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED SUCH A LARGE AND COMPLICATED PROJECT ON TIME WITHOUT THE IR ASSISTANCE.

EARLIER, SPEAKING AT THE SAME CEREMONY, MR. GARNER SAID THAT THE NINE-STOREY CENTRE WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE SECOND TALLEST PRISON IN THE WORLD.

BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER LAI CHI KOK WOMEN PRISON, MR. GARNER SAID, THE CENTRE WOULD OFFER TO PRISON STAFF A CHALLENGE, FOR HIGH RISE PENAL INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT LOOKED UPON WITH FAVOUR AROUND THE WORLD BY #F1SON ADMINISTRATORS.+

HE FELT CONFIDENT HOWEVER

HE FELT CONFIDENT HOWEVER, THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG BUILT TO FILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

MR. GARNER

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