XN000022-1984-05-25 — Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1984

$3.6 BILLION PUT INTO NEW PUBLIC WORKS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS INJECTED $3.6 BILLION WORTH OF NEW WORK INTO THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

MR CHAN SAID THIS SUM EXCLUDED THE COST OF LAND.

HE HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT THIS LEVEL OF NEW COMMITMENTS WOULD BE MAINTAINED, IF NOT INCREASED, IN 1985-86.

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE 12TH ANNUAL DINNER OF THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BUILDING.

MR CHAN SAID, BEARING IN MIND THE PROJECTED FINANCIAL DEFICIT OF $2.1 BILLION IN THE GENERAL REVENUE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR 1984-85. THE INJECTION OF $3.6 BILLION WORTH OF NEW WORK INTO THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WAS A COMMENDABLE EFFORT ON THE PART OF GOVERNMENT AND A FIRM INDICATION OF ITS COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

HE SAID THE INJECTION OF PUBLIC FUNDS WOULD ALLOW A START TO BE MADE ON 120 NEW ITEMS OF WORKS.

INCLUDED AMONG THESE WOULD BE A NUMBER OF BUILDING PROJECTS, INCLUDING A MAGISTRACY BUILDING AT TUEN MUN, THE MUSEUM OF ART, AND A HOSPITAL AT SHAU KEI WAN.

IN ADDITION TO THE NEW WORKS THERE WERE ALSO A LARGE NUMBER OF MAJOR ON-GOING BUILDING PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE, A NEW FIRE SERVICES HEADQUARTERS AND TSIM SHA TSUI EAST SUB-DIVISIONAL FIRE STATION, QUEENSWAY GOVERNMENT OFFICES, HARBOUR BUILDING, CONNAUGHT ROAD, 168 TYPE | NON-DEPARTMENTAL QUARTERS, DISTRICT COURT-MAGISTRACY AND GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING ON THE WAN CHAI RECLAMATION, QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL EXTENSIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS, CULTURAL CENTRE AT TSIM SHA TSUI AUDITORIA COMPLEX, TUEN MÜN HOSPITAL AND QUARTERS AND A FIFTH NURSES' TRAINING SCHOOL, TUEN MUN CIVIC AND CULTURAL COMPLEX, AND SHA TIN CULTURAL COMPLEX AND LIBRARY.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON THESE 10 PROJECTS ALONE WOULD AMOUNT TO +A STAGGERING $3.8 BILLION+, MR CHAN SAID.

+ I HAVE SO FAR ONLY MENTIONED PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME VERY LARGE PRIVATE BUILDING PROJECTS DUE TO START PRESENTLY SUCH AS KORNHILL, COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE WHAMPOA SITE IN HUNG HOM AND THE NEW BANK OF CHINA BUILDING, HE SAID.

/+IN ADDITION