XN000022-1978-02-27 — Page 6

5 -

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1978

EY 1982 A COMPLETE RANGE OF SERVICES WILL HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEARER TO FANLING BY THE COMPLETION OF THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL OF 1,400 BEDS AND POLYCLINIC AT SHATIN, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE NEW COASTAL FOTORWAY FROM SHATIN TO TAI PO MOULD ALSO BE COMPLETED BY 1982, AND THERE WOULD BE MUCH FASTER AND MORE FREQUENT TRAIN SERVICES WHEN THE LINE IS DOUBLE-TRACKED TO LO WU BY 1980.

+ IN HONG KONG PROSPERITY FOLLOWS IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS, AND WITH A POPULATION OF 600,000 BETWEEN HERE AND THE LION ROCK BY DECEMBER 1983 I SHOULD EXPECT THE WHOLE NORTH EAST TO DEVELOP FAST, HE SAID.

+ IT MUST BE THE DUTY OF YOUR GOVERNMENT. IN CO-OPERATION WITH LOCAL LEADERS, TO MATCH THAT DEVELOPMENT WITH THE SERVICES NECESSARY TO ENSURE A FULL AND HAPPY LIFE FOR ALL WHO LIVE HERE,+ HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE FANLING HOSPITAL EXTENSION WAS YET ANOTHER +SPLENDID+ EXAMPLE OF THE CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

HE THANKED THE FANLING HOSPITAL EXTENSION FUND RAISING COMMITTEE AND THE LOCAL RESIDENTS AS WELL AS THOSE MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY RESIDING OVERSEAS FOR THEIR MAGNIFICENT+ CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE PROJECT.

DURING THE CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. K.L. THONG, ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND THE LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR THEIR +TREMENDOUS+ EFFORTS AND GENEROUS SUPPORT IN THE PROVISION OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES IN THE AREA.

HE SAID THE COST OF THE WHOLE EXTENSION PROJECT WAS ESTIMATED AT $6.3 MILLION, AND THE FUND RAISING COMMITTEE AIM TO ATTAIN THE TARGET OF $2,150,000 THE BALANCE TO BE MET BY THE GOVERNMENT.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW EXTENSION WILL BE IN TWO STAGES. STAGE I CONSISTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EXTENSION OF FIVE STOREYS TO THE EXISTING HOSPITAL WHICH WILL INCORPORATE SUCH FACILITIES AS A CASUALTY DEPARTMENT, AN X-RAY UNIT, A FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE CENTRE AND QUARTERS FOR DOCTORS, NURSES AND OTHER STAFF. WORK WILL COMMENCE EARLY THIS YEAR AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN SEPTEMBER 1979.

STAGE 1 OF THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVE- MENTS TO THE EXISTING HOSPITAL BUILDING TO BRING IT UP TO A DISTRICT HOSPITAL CAPABILITY. ON COMPLETION OF THE ALTERATION WORKS, ADDITIONAL 48 BEDS WILL BE PROVIDED, THUS BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL TO 102.

16