XN000022-1982-06-23 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 1982

GROWING DEMAND FOR PUBLIC WORKS

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The RS-Jin ISATION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT INTO THE LANDS VD WORKS BRANCH IN APRIL WAS NECESSARY TO COPE WITH THE GROWING DEMAND FOR BOTH PUBLIC WORKS AND LAND DEVELOPMENT

IN RECENT YEARS.

THIS WAS EXPLAINED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR N.K. CHAN, IN A LUNCHEON TALK TODAY TO MEMBERS OF THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION.

HE SAID THE RESTRUCTURING OF GOVERNMENT INVOLVED THE ABOLITION OF THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH AND THE CREATION OF A LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH AND A TRANSPORT BRANCH,

IT ALSO CREATED A NEW LANDS DEPARTMENT, THE UPGRADING OF THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT AND WATER SUPPLIES INTO FULLY AUTONOMOUS DEPARTMENTS.

+THE OVERRIDING AIM OF THIS RESTRUCTURING IS TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERALL POLICY AND CONTROL FOR LAND AND DEVELOPMENT ON THE ONE HAND AND TRANSPORT ON THE OTHER HAND, MR CHAN SAID.

THE LANDS AND WORKS BRANCH HAS THE POLICY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL LANDS AND WORKS FUNCTION AND IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FIVE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS AND THE FREE-STANDING URBAN AREA DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION.

IT OPERATES THROUGH THREE DIVISIONS ADMINISTRATION.

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LANDS, WORKS AND

THE LANDS DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FORMULATING LAND POLICIES AND CO-ORDINATING VARIOUS ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF LAND TO MEET THE NEEDS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

THE WORKS DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING AND CO-ORDINATION OF THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY AND THE MONITORING OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE +WORKS+ DEPARTMENT.

THE ADMINISTRATION DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BRANCH ADMINISTRATION AND THE PROVISION OF CERTAIN COMMON SERVICES TO THE +WORKS+ DEPARTMENT.

DISCUSSING THE FIVE AUTONOMOUS DEPARTMENTS, MR CHAN SAID THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING DEVELOPMENT IN THE TERRITORY IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR.

+ IT IS HEADED BY A DIRECTOR AND OPERATES THROUGH TWO OFFICES, THE TUND.10 ORDINANCE OFFICED THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE. THE DIRECTOR IS, CA-OFFICIO,

CA-OFFICIO, THE BUILDING AUTHORITY BUT, IN PRACTICE, HE HAS DELEGATED MOST OF HIS POWERS TO OFFICERS OF THE BOO,+