XN000022-1983-11-07 — Page 7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1983

TUEN MUN FESTIVAL STARTING SATURDAY

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WIDE-RANGING CULTURAL, SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES WILL BE STAGED IN TUEN MUN FROM SATURDAY (NOVEMBER 12) TO MARK THE THIRD DISTRICT FESTIVAL.

THE TWO-WEEK FESTIVAL WILL INCLUDE AN EXHIBITION, A DISTRICT RUN,

AN INTER-SCHOOL CONCERT, VARIETY SHOWS, SOCCER MATCHES, AND BASKETBALL AND BOWLING TOURNAMENTS.

PAINTING, DRAWING, SINGING, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SLOGAN COMPETITIONS WILL ALSO BE HELD.

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (MONDAY), THE DISTRICT OFFICER, MR RICKY FUNG SAID THE FESTIVAL WAS AIMED AT PROMOTING THE NEW TOWN'S IDENTITY AND SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG RESIDENTS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES.

+IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT PUBLICITY OF THE FESTIVAL WILL ENABLE THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS AND THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE RESIDENTS IN TUEN MUN, HE SAID.

AT PRESENT, TUEN MUN HAS A POPULATION OF 220 000, AND IT IS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 70 000 ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO REACH HALF A MILLION BY THE END OF THE DECADE.

MR FUNG SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN PROVIDING THE NEW TOWN WITH ALL NECESSARY FACILITIES TO COPE WITH THE RAPID POPULATION GROWTH.

+MORE THAN $500 MILLION WERE SPENT ON BASIC DEVELOPMENT LAST YEAR, AND ANOTHER $720 MILLION WILL BE SPENT THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, HE SAID.

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE INCLUDE A HOSPITAL, A TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, A SPORTS STADIUM, A TOWN PARK, A SWIMMING POOL COMPLEX AND OTHER ANCILLARY FACILITIES.

*WE CAN SAY THE NEW TOWN'S DEVELOPMENTS IN RECENT YEARS AND THE PURPOSE OF HOLDING A DISTRICT FESTIVAL ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS ARE BOTH VERY MEANINGFUL AS THEY SHOW THE EFFORTS MADE BY GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS IN IMPROVING THE RESIDENTS' LIVELIHOOD, SAID MR FUNG.

THE FESTIVAL WILL COST ABOUT $360 000, OF WHICH $300 000 WILL COME FROM THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE REST FROM LOCAL DONATIONS.

ADMISSION TO ALL THE PROGRAMMES IS FREE. TICKETS AND COPIES OF THE FESTIVAL'S PROGRAMMES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON A FIRST-COME- FIRST-SERVED BASIS AT THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT OFFICE AND ITS SUB-OFFICES.

THE FESTIVAL IS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD, THE DISTRICT OFFICE, THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT, AND RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG.

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