XN000022-1981-01-23 — Page 9

FILDAI, JANUARI 23, 1901

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_THE_LOCAL_COMMUNITY DONATED OVER $800 000 FOR THE PROJECT, CONSTRUCTION OF WHICH STARTED 18 MONTHS AGO.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID COMPLETION OF THE NEW BUILDING MARKED AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE REMARKABLE HISTORY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ON CHEUNG CHAU,

+COSTING NEARLY $700 000 THIS FINE BUILDING WAS BUILT ALMOST ENTIRELY WITH FUNDS RAISED BY CHEUNG CHAU RURAL COMMITTEE.

HE SAID HE WAS GLAD TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS A PROPOSAL TO USE THE SURPLUS FUNDS RAISED FOR THE PROJECT TO SET UP A DEVELOPMENT FUND TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR AND IMPROVE LOCAL COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID HE HOPED CHEUNG CHAU RURAL COMMITTEE AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE ISLANDS WOULD EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF VARIOUS PROPOSALS, INCLUDING SHORT-TERM MEASURES SUCH AS MODIFYING SCHOOL HALLS, OR OTHER EXISTING FACILITIES TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY, BUT USABLE, COMMUNITY FACILITIES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MR AKERS-JONES SAID CHEUNG CHAU WAS RENOWNED FOR ITS STRONG COMMUNITY SPIRIT,

ITS LONG HISTORY OF COMMUNAL SELF-HELP DEMONSTRATED ITSELF AS EARLY AS THE 19TH CENTURY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES SUCH AS THE PO ON STUDY, THE SECURITY BUREAU AND THE FONG PIN HOSPITAL.

+ IT WAS WITH THE SAME COMMUNITY SPIRIT THAT CHEUNG CHAU RURAL COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN 1960, + HE SAID.

SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT, THE COMMITTEE HAD PROMOTED THE WELL-BEING OF THE CHEUNG CHAU COMMUNITY AND PLAYED A VERY

IMPORTANT ROLE IN FACILITATING THE LINK BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND RESIDENTS OF CHEUNG CHAU.

THE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE COMMENDED PARTICULARLY FOR BEING SO ACTIVE IN COORDINATING AND ORGANISING LOCAL CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL AND SPORTS ACTIVITIES FOR THE ENJOYMENT AND WELL-BEING OF CHEUNG CHAU RESIDENTS, MR AKERS-JONES SAID.

+1 AM SURE THAT THE COMPLETION OF THIS NEW BUILDING WILL FURTHER FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE RURAL COMMITTEE AND IMPROVE VARIOUS PUBLIC SERVICES TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL, HE SAID.

MR AKERS-JONES CONGRATULATED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE, MR KWONG PING-YAU- THE VICE-CHAIRMAN, MR CHENG CHUEN-KWA | = AND THE CHAIRMAN OF CHEUNG CHAU RURAL COMMITTEE, MR FUNG PAK-TAI, WHO HAD PUT IN A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT IN MAKING THE NEW BUILDING A REALITY.

CHEUNG CHAU, WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 33 000, IS THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED OF THE OUTLYING ISLANDS.

DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISLAND INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION OF A TYPHOON SHELTER AT CHEUNG CHAU WAN, WHICH IS DUE TO BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR, AT A COST OF $65 MILLION.

A 70-ROOM, SEVEN-STOREY HOTEL IS BEING BUILT AT TUNG WAN. IT WILL OPEN THIS SUMMER.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLANS FOR A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE FOR 3 000 PEOPLE AT PAK SHE.