XN000022-1978-01-03 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1978

TENDERS INVITED FOR OPERATING TWO NEW QUARRIES

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TENDERS ARE BEING INVITED FROM A LIST OF PRE-QUAL IF IED CONTRACTORS FOR THE OPERATION OF TWO NEW QUARRIES -- ONE AT ANDERSON ROAD IN KOWLOON AND THE OTHER AT PICNIC BAY ON LAMMA

ISLAND.

THE PRE-QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS CONSIST OF THREE LOCAL AND 12 FOREIGN COMPANIES, INCLUDING THOSE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM, FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, AUSTRALIA AND HOLLAND.

MR. DICK PILLING, CHIEF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, SAID TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO

INVITE TENDERS INTERNATIONALLY WAS AIMED AT BROADENING THE FIELD AND INTRODUCING MORE COMPETITION INTO THE MARKET.

CONTRACTORS ALREADY OPERATING CONTRACT QUARRIES IN HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE INVITED TO TENDER FOR THE NEW ONES.

MR. PILLING SAID THAT THE FIRST CONTRACT WOULD BE FOR THE QUARRY AT TAI SHEUNG TOK, ANDERSON ROAD, AND WOULD COMBINE TWO OF THE EXISTING QUARRIES THERE.

YEAR.

THE CONTRACTS FOR THESE TWO QUARRIES WILL EXPIRE LATER THIS

THE OUTPUT FROM THE NEW QUARRY WILL EXCEED ONE MILLION TONNES OF AGGREGATE A YEAR.

+ IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE NEW CONTRACT WILL START BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR AND WILL RUN FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS, HE SAID. +COMPREHENSIVE RESTORATION WORKS WILL BE CARRIED OUT WHEN QUARRYING

IS COMPLETED.+

THE SECOND CONTRACT IS FOR QUARRYING ON LAMMA ISLAND AND WOULD START EARLY IN 1979.

MR. PILLING SAID IT WAS PLANNED TO BUILD A SEAWALL AT KOK TUNG WAN ON THE NORTHERN SHORE OF THE PICNIC BAY, AND RECLAIM ABOUT 7.3 HECTARES OF LAND WHICH WOULD BE USED INITIALLY AS A WORK SITE FOR THE NEW QUARRY THERE.

HE SAID THAT THE MATERIAL USED FOR RECLAMATION WOULD BE THE OVERBURDEN FROM THE SITE AND UNSUITABLE MATERIAL FROM THE QUARRY.

THE CONTRACT FOR THE OPERATION OF THIS QUARRY, HE ADDED, WOULD BE FOR TEN YEARS AND WHEN IT EXPIRES, THE LAND WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR GOVERNMENT USE.

MR. PILLING EMPHASISED THAT STRICT CONDITIONS WOULD BE LAID DOWN FOR THE OPERATION OF THE QUARRY AND THE REHABILITATION OF THE SITE.

/+NO WORK AT ALL