XN000022-1982-11-01 — Page 6

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1982

GOVERNMENT REPLIES ON EASTERN HOSPITAL

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY OUTLINED ITS PROPOSALS FOR AN EASTERN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND THE IMPROVEMENTS TO TRANSPORT AND MEDICAL FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED IN THE DISTRICT PRIOR TO ITS OPENING.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSALS ARE CONTAINED IN A COMPREHENSIVE NINE-PAGE LETTER FROM THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR GRAHAM BARNES, IN RESPONSE TO A PETITION FROM RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT ASKING THAT THE HOSPITAL PROJECT BE BROUGHT FORWARD IMMEDIATELY,

IN HIS LETTER, RELEASED LAST WEEK, MR BARNES SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS ON A STRAIGHT COURSE TO CONSTRUCT AND OPEN THE HOSPITAL AS PLANNED BY 1990, BUT EMPHASISED THAT THIS POSITION COULD CHANGE WITH A CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AT ANY TIME UNTIL THE CONTRACT IS LET.

THE REGIONAL SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSAL TO BUILD THE EASTERN DISTRICT HOSPITAL WAS INTRODUCED INTO CATEGORY B OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME IN APRIL THIS YEAR. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE AND MAKE NO SENSE TO UPGRADE THIS ITEM TO CATEGORY A IMMEDIATELY, HE ADDED.

+WHILE AN ITEM IS IN CATEGORY B THE CONCEPT MUST BE REFINED TO A DETAILED PROPOSAL, SKETCH PLANS, TECHNICAL SCHEDULES, BUILDING SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND ESTIMATES OF COST, SO THAT UPGRADING TO CATEGORY A MAY BE SOUGHT ON THE BASIS OF FULL INFORMATION REGARDING THE COSTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF PROCEEDING WITH THE PROJECT.

+THE PREPARATION OF THESE ITEMS IS CURRENTLY IN HAND WITH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.+

MR BARNES SAID IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS STAGE TO GIVE A FIRM DATE WHEN THE PROPOSED HOSPITAL IS TO COMMENCE CONSTRUCTION OR TO PINPOINT THE EXACT DATE OF ITS COMPLETION.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A HOSPITAL BUILT WITHIN THE DECADE AND WAS NOW DOING THE PLANNING WORK NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE HOSPITAL WITHIN THAT PERIOD.

+ IT IS IN FACT THE EARLIEST THAT A FULL-SCALE HOSPITAL COULD BE PLANNED AND COMPLETED, BUT THERE ARE MANY FACTORS WHICH COULD MEAN IT COULD BE COMPLETED LATER, MR BARNES SAID.

HE SAID THAT LIKE ALL ITEMS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, THE EASTERN HOSPITAL PROPOSAL WOULD BE SUBJECT TO REGULAR REVIEW IN THE LIGHT OF THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMIC SITUATION, THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND THE OTHER PROJECTS COMPETING FOR THEM.

HE ALSO