XN000022-1983-12-20 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1983

CHRISTMAS CHEER FOR YOUNG AND OLD

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FUN-FILLED ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG AND OLD AND A DISPLAY OF GLITTERING FESTIVE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ORGANISED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG TO ADD SPARKLE TO THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS.

+THE ACCENT WILL BE ON LIGHT-HEARTED RELAXATION SO AS TO ENABLE RESIDENTS IN BOTH THE URBAN AREAS AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO SHARE IN THE JOY AND GOODWILL OF THE FESTIVE SEASON WITHOUT HAVING TO TRAVEL TOO FAR AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES, THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR BARRIE WIGGHAM TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY.

+WITH OVER 100 ACTIVITIES ORGANISED OR SPONSORED BY VARIOUS DISTRICT BOARDS, THE URBAN COUNCIL, COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS AND BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.+

THE CHRISTMAS PACKAGE OF FUN INCLUDES A RANGE OF FUN FAIRS AND CARNIVALS FOR ALL AGES, PARTIES FOR THE ELDERLY, DRAMA AND PANTOMIMES, VARIETY SHOWS, DISCO NIGHTS AND A LASER SHOW.

+AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL BE STAGED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY - FROM CHAI WAN, KWUN TONG AND WONG TAI SIN TO SHA TIN, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN - MEANS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE IN THE FUN NEARER HOME, HE SAID,

ALSO PRESENT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS CHIEF TRANSPORT OFFICER, MRS DOROTHY CHAN, WHO DETAILED SPECIAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT ARRANGEMENTS TO COPE WITH EXPECTED HEAVY DEMAND DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD.

MRS CHAN SAID ALL THE MAJOR TRANSPORT COMPANIES WOULD BE RUNNING EXTRA OR EXTENDED SERVICES AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE STRONGLY ADVISED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE TO AVOID CONGESTION ON THE ROADS.

ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WHEN DEMAND IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVIEST, THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY WOULD OPERATE TRAINS UP TO ABOUT 3.30 AM THE FOLLOWING DAY, KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY UP TO 1 AM, THE PEAK TRAM UP TO 3 AM, WHILE HONG KONG TRAMWAYS WOULD BE RUNNING ALL NIGHT SERVICES BETWEEN WHITTY STREET AND SHAU KEI WAN.

+FERRIES, BUSES AND MAXICABS WILL ALSO BE RUNNING EXTENDED SERVICES,+ SHE ADDED.

MRS CHAN SAID SPECIAL PEDESTRIAN SCHEMES IN CENTRAL AND EAST TS IM SHA TSU! AND TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN WORKED OUT BY THE POLICE TO ENSURE MAXIMUM CONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE HOLIDAY PERIOD.

MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT APART FROM THE MAJOR DECORATIVE LIGHTINGS PUT UP BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE IN CENTRAL AND EAST TSIM SHA TSUI THOUSANDS OF COLOURFUL BULBS AS WELL AS GARLANDS AND BANNERS OF SEASON'S GREETINGS WOULD BRIGHTEN UP VARIOUS AREAS IN CHAI WAN, TSUEN WAN AND SHA TIN.

/AS IN