XN000022-1982-06-16 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1982

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WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA

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THE ANNUAL QUANTITIES OF WATER SUPPLY FROM CHINA UNDER THE PRESENT AGREEMENT FOR THE YEARS 1983-84, 1984-85 AND 1985-86 ARE 220 MILLION CUBIC METRES, 255 MILLION CUBIC METRES AND 290 MILLION CUBIC METRES RESPECTIVELY, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR N.K. CHAN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON S.L. CHEN.

MR CHAN SAID THAT A RECENT APPROACH HAD BEEN MADE TO CHINA FOR AN EXTRA SUPPLY OF 35 MILLION CUBIC METRES FOR EACH OF THE THREE YEARS AND THAT THE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY CHINA AND SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

+FORMAL AGREEMENT WILL BE MADE WITH CHINA IN THIS REGARD ON APPROVAL OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

+TAKING

→TAK ING INTO ACCOUNT THE EXTRA SUPPLY, THE ANNUAL QUANTITIES WILL BECOME 255 MILLION CUBIC METRES. 290 MILLION CUBIC METRES AND 325 MILLION CUBIC METRES RESPECTIVELY IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS,+ HE ADDED.

MR CHAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE ABOVE SUPPLY OF WATER FROM CHINA COULD NOT ENSURE IN ABSOLUTE TERMS THAT REACTIVATION OF THE LOK ON PAI DESALTER WOULD BE UNNECESSARY, IT SERVED TO KEEP THE PROBABILITY OF HAVING TO OPERATE IT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO A VERY LOW FIGURE.

+ IN OTHER WORDS THE CHANCE OF HAVING TO REACTIVATE THE DESALTER IS NOT HIGH, + MR CHAN CONCLUDED.

MEASURES TO IMPROVE CMB'S FLEET AVAILABILITY

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THE MAINTENANCE SUB-GROUP OF A REVIEW COMMITTEE HAS IDENTIFIED SEVERAL FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR POOR FLEET AVAILABILITY AT THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON STEPHEN CHEONG WHO NOTED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE PROBLEM THE COMPANY HAD REPORTEDLY BEEN UNABLE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE AGREED ROUTE PROGRAMME.

THE MAINTENANCE SUB-GROUP FOUND THAT LAST YEAR THE LEVEL OF NON-AVAILABILITY OF BUSES DUE TO PLANNED MAINTENANCE WAS 11.2 PER CENT OF THE COMPANY'S FLEET OF 1 006 BUSES.

+MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, NON-AVAILABILITY DUE TO THE NEED FOR RUNNING REPAIRS, THAT IS ́UNSCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, WAS 27.9 PER CENT. FLEET AVAILABILITY WAS THEREFORE 60.9 PER CENT, A VERY LOW FIGURE, MR SCOTT POINTED OUT.