XN000022-1982-10-28 — Page 25

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1982

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CONTAINER PROJECT POINTS TO FAITH IN FUTURE: MACPHERSON

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CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST FREIGHT CONTAINER STATION AT KWAI CHUNG WAS AN INDICATION OF CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR IAN MACPHERSON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HE SAID THIS WHEN OFFICIATING TODAY AT THE GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE $1.5 BILLION COMPLEX OF ASIA TERMINALS AT THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL.

+THE ACTUAL COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON THIS HUGE COMPLEX, INVOLVING AS IT DOES A VERY SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL_COMMITMENT, IS A CLEAR DEMONSTRATION OF CONFIDENCE IN THE CONTINUED LONG TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE,+ MR MACPHERSON SAID.

HE REMARKED THAT TODAY'S OCCASION MARKED ANOTHER STEP FORWARD IN THIS IMAGINATIVE AND EXCITING PROJECT+.

THE COMPLEX, WHEN COMPLETED, WOULD ENABLE MAXIMUM USE TO BE MADE OF PRECIOUS LAND RESOURCES IN THE CONTAINER PORT AREA, THUS ENABLING STORAGE TO BE INCREASED AND THROUGHPUT SPEEDED UP, HE ADDED.

CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE TUEN MUN RESIDENTS TO WORK LOCALLY

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THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR BILLY LAM, TODAY (THURSDAY) PRESIDED OVER THE OPENING OF A CAREER EXHIBITION TO ENCOURAGE MORE LOCAL WORKERS TO TAKE UP JOBS IN THE NEW TOWN.

THE AIM IS TO REVERSE THE CURRENT TREND WHERE MOST LOCAL RESIDENTS STILL WORK OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT WHILE THE MAJORITY OF LOCAL JOBS ARE BEING FILLED BY RESIDENTS FROM ELSEWHERE.

THE EXHIBITION, WHICH OUTLINES JOB PROSPECTS, SALARIES AND CAREERS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN TUEN MUN, IS SPONSORED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL MANUFACTURERS.

MR LAM SAID THAT AN EARLIER SURVEY INDICATED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKING POPULATION OF THE TOWN WAS STILL WORKING OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT WHILE THE MAJORITY OF WORKERS IN LOCAL FACTORIES CAME FROM OTHER PLACES.

+THIS HAS RESULTED IN EXTRA TRANSPORT AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, WITH RESIDENTS HAVING TO SPEND HOURS DAILY ON TIRING JOURNEYS TO THEIR PLACES OF WORK, HE SAID.

+ IT WILL ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF A SELF-CONTAINED TOWNSHIP IN THIS MORE DISTANT CORNER OF THE NORTH-WESTERN NEW TERRITORIES, HE ADDED.

MR LAM