XN000022-1982-06-30 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1982

8

MORE FIREWORKS DISPLAYS IN COMING YEARS

***

FOLLOWING THE SUCCESS OF THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY ON THE EVENING OF LUNAR NEW YEAR'S DAY THIS YEAR, MORE DISPLAYS WILL BE STAGED IN COMING YEARS.

THE 20-MINUTE DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS THIS YEAR, SPONSORED BY JARDINE MATHESON AND CO. LTD. AND ORGANISED BY THE TOURIST ASSOCIATION, WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND WAS SET AGAINST MUSIC BROADCAST THROUGH RADIO HONG KONG. IT WAS WATCHED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HARBOUR.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE PUBLIC HAD OBVIOUSLY ENJOYED THE DISPLAY, AFTER REVIEWING THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE EVENT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO ALLOW FIREWORKS DISPLAYS TO BE STAGED IN CELEBRATION OF THE TWO MAJOR CHINESE FESTIVALS, LUNAR NEW YEAR AND MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED AN OFFER FROM JARDINE MATHESON AND CO. LTD. TO SPONSOR AN ANNUAL DISPLAY ON LUNAR NEW YEAR'S DAY IN THE HARBOUR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, STARTING 1983. THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS BEEN INVITED TO ORGANISE THE DISPLAY IN 1983.

IF PRIVATE SPONSORSHIPS ARE FORTHCOMING, DISPLAYS WILL ALSO BE ALLOWED IN THE HARBOUR IN MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL, AS WELL AS SMALLER DISPLAYS IN OTHER VENUES, INCLUDING IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, ON BOTH FESTIVAL DAYS, HOWEVER,

HOWEVER, THE LUNAR NEW YEAR DISPLAY IN 1983 WILL BE THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TO ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR PROPER PLANNING AND ORGANISATION.

A COMMITTEE COMPRISING THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, COMMISSIONER FOR MINES AND TWO UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL BE SET UP TO CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS WHICH WISH TO STAGE DISPLAYS.

+AS A FIREWORKS DISPLAY IS EXPENSIVE AND INVOLVES CAREFUL

ORGANISATION, PERMISSION WILL ONLY BE GIVEN TO THOSE

ORGANISATIONS WITH SOUND FINANCIAL STANDING AND KNOWN ORGANISATIONAL CAPABILITY, + THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

+

Page 10Page 11