XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 33

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

NEW CAMPAIGN NEXT YEAR TO KEEP HK CLEAN

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A NEW KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN CAMPAIGN IN THE URBAN AREA AND THE NEW TERRITORIES, WITH PARALLEL ACTION IN THE COUNTRY PARKS, WILL START NEXT OCTOBER.

THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT ALTHOUGH HONG KONG WAS CLEANER, NEATER AND MUCH GREENER THAN BEFORE THE FIRST CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED IN 1972, THE STANDARD HAD FALLEN IN THE URBAN AREAS AND WAS UNSATISFACTORY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE UBIQUITY OF CONSTRUCTION WITH ITS ACCOMPANYING MESS AND LITTER WAS PARTLY TO BLAME SO ALSO WAS THE SHEER VOLUME OF THE PROBLEM OF REFUSE COLLECTION AN INCREASE OF 46 PER CENT SINCE 1972.

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+BUT CLEARLY, + SAID SIR MURRAY, THE CO-OPERATION AND INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HAS SLIPPED AND I SUSPECT THAT ON THE GOVERNMENTAL SIDE TOO LOW A PRIORITY AND TOO LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE CLEANSING SERVICE.

+HOWEVER THAT MAY BE, UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT HONG KONG WILL SLIP BACK INTO THE DIRTY, UNCARED-FOR APPEARANCE OF A DECADE AGO AND NO ONE WANTS THAT, EITHER FOR OURSELVES OR OUR INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION, HE SAID.

IN THE NEW CAMPAIGN, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE URBAN COUNCIL HAVE NO INTENTION OF SUBSTITUTING PUBLICITY GIMMICKS FOR ACTION.

+BUT WE DO NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MEN, MACHINES AND COLLECTION POINTS TO DO THE JOB BETTER- SO AN URGENT REVIEW OF RESOURCES HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

HE CITED, FOR INSTANCE, THAT IT LOOKED AS IF IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO SPEND ABOUT $50 MILLION ON NEW EQUIPMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

+WE ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT MEASURES COULD REASONABLY BE TAKEN TO ENFORCE THE ANTI-LITTER LAWS MORE EFFECTIVELY.

+WHEN WE ARE SURE THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL SIDE OF THE OPERATION IS IN BETTER SHAPE, MEASURES WILL BE TAKEN TO ENLIST THE SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.

SIR MURRAY SAID THAT PROVIDED THE GOVERNMENT AND THE URBAN COUNCIL PLAYED THEIR PART, HE HAD NO DOUBT THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD PLAY THEIRS.

TURNING TO THE WATER POLLUTION BILL AND WASTE DISPOSAL BILL ENACTED IN THE PAST SESSION, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT REGULATIONS NECESSARY BEFORE ACTION COULD MATERIALISE WERE BEING DRAFTED AND WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DURING THE YEAR.

HE ALSÓ .....