XN000022-1981-06-10 — Page 15

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1981

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PWD GEARS UP FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS PREPARING ITSELF FOR AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN A CHALLENGING AND EXCITING PHASE OF HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY DR NIP KAM-FAN, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (KOWLOON), OF THE URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION (UADO), À NEW ORGANISATION CREATED WITHIN PWD LAST YEAR TO ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO SERVE THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY AT DISTRICT LEVEL.

ADDRESSING THE LIONS CLUB OF VICTORIA, DR NIP SAID THAT AS STATED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG+, THE TERRITORY WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO 18 DISTRICTS, 10 IN THE URBAN AREA AND EIGHT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

EACH OF THE DISTRICTS WILL HAVE ITS OWN DISTRICT BOARD WHICH COMPRISES OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN SHARE IN AND CONTRIBUTE IDEAS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN KWUN TONG AND WONG TAI SIN HAVE ALREADY MET, AND IT IS PLANNED THAT THOSE IN THE OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS WILL ALL BE SET UP BY MARCH NEXT YEAR.

+THIS NEW FORM OF ADMINISTRATION WHERE ALL RESIDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART WILL CERTAINLY BE MOST CHALLENGING AND EXCITING TO ALL OF US,+ DR NIP SAID.

ALONG WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS ADJUSTING ITSELF TO MEET THE NEW SITUATION.

HE SAID THAT SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN PWD ALREADY HAD REGIONAL OFFICES FUNCTIONING AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. HOWEVER, THE JADO WAS CREATED SO THAT THE PWD COULD BE IN A STILL BETTER POSITION TO SERVE COMMUNITY NEEDS AT DISTRICT LEVEL.

DR NIP SAID: THE UADO CONSISTS OF A HEADQUARTERS AND A NORTH EAST KOWLOON DEVELOPMENT OFFICE TOGETHER WITH SIX DIVISIONS.

+ THE JURISDICTION OF THE NORTH EAST KOWLOON DEVELOPMENT OFFICE INCLUDES KWUN TONG, WONG TAI SIN AND PART OF KOWLOON CITY, +

SINCE 1961, THE POPULATION OF NORTH EAST KOWLOON HAS GROWN FROM ABOUT 340 000 TO 1.3 MILLION, INCLUDING SOME 660 000 PEOPLE IN KWUN TONG AND ABOUT 600 000 IN WONG TAI SIN,

OF THE TOTAL AREA OF 2 050 HECTARES, 1 600 HECTARES ARE PLAINED FOR DEVELOPMENT. THIS INCLUDES 500 HECTARES WHICH HAVE NOT YET BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE IR INTENDED USE.

/AC TO