XN000022-1981-02-20 — Page 3

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1981

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REDEVELOPMENT TO PRODUCE MORE GOVERNMENT QUARTERS

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL RECEIVE THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF EXISTING FLATS, AS WELL AS A CASH PREMIUM, IN A LAND-FOR-PROPERTY EXCHANGE INVOLVING QUEEN'S GARDENS QUARTERS IN OLD PEAK ROAD.

QUEEN'S GARDENS, WHICH HAS 26 FLATS, IS ONE OF SEVERAL OLD, LOW-RISE GOVERNMENT QUARTERS SCHEDULED TO BE REDEVELOPED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION, WITHOUT DIRECT EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

DETAILS OF THE SCHEME WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY) FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE HONG KONG LAND GROUP, WHICH IS REDEVELOPING SEVERAL OF ITS OWN PROPERTIES ON ADJOINING SITES.

IN EXCHANGE FOR BEING GRANTED THE QUEEN'S GARDENS SITE, HONG KONG LAND IS TO GIVE THE GOVERNMENT 83 QUARTERS IN ITS NEW DEVELOPMENT IN MAY ROAD, TREGUNTER, WHICH WILL BE READY FOR OCCUPATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.

IN ADDITION, HONG KONG LAND WILL PAY THE GOVERNMENT, ON COMPLETION OF TREGUNTER, A CASH PREMIUM CURRENTLY ASSESSED AT $13.8 MILLION.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE REASON FOR ENTERING INTO A LAND EXCHANGE WITH HONG KONG LAND RATHER THAN OFFERING THE QUEEN'S GARDENS SITE FOR SALE BY TENDER WAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPANY'S TREGUNTER DEVELOPMENT WHICH, BEING NEAR COMPLETION, WOULD ENABLE THE EARLY REDEVELOPMENT OF OTHER GOVERNMENT QUARTERS SITES TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

+THIS WILL ALSO REDUCE THE NEED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO LEASE FLATS IN PRIVATE BUILDINGS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

REVENUE MAN REFLECTS

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THE NEW OUTWARD PROCESSING ARRANGEMENTS CURRENTLY BEING INTRODUCED WERE EXAMPLES OF THE WAY A CUSTOMS ORGANISATION MUST MOVE WITH THE TIMES IF IT WAS TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT TRADE, THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND CONTROLS, MR DOUGLAS JORDAN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH, MR JORDAN REFLECTED: +UNDER THESE NEW ARRANGEMENTS TRADERS ARE ENABLED TO OBTAIN HONG KONG CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN, OR USE A +MADE IN HONG KONG+ LABEL ON THEIR GOODS, WHEN A PRESCRIBED AND LIMITED INTERMEDIATE PART OF A MANUFACTURING PROCESS IS CARRIED ON OUTSIDE HONG KONG.+

POINTING OUT THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE MODERN ASPECTS OF THE CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT'S WORK, MR JORDAN SAID: NO LONGER ARE OUR CUSTOMS MEN PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE PASSENGER SMUGGLING HIS EXTRA CIGARETTES OR HIS SECOND BOTTLE OF BRANDY, NO LONGER IN HONG KONG CAN WE COMMIT SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF STAFF TO COMBING THE RELATIVELY UNPOPULATED HILLS AND ISLANDS FOR ILLICIT STILLS. NO LONGER CAN WE AFFORD TO SEND A CUSTOMS LAUNCH ON AN EXPLORATORY PATROL SOLELY TO PROVIDE A POSSIBLE DETERRENT TO WOULD-BE SMUGGLERS.+

/HE SAID