XN000022-1984-07-10 — Page 4

3.

TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1984

GOVERNOR LEAVES FOR PEKING

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, LEFT FOR PEKING THIS (TUESDAY) AFTERNOON TO TAKE PART IN ANOTHER ROUND OF SINO- BRITISH TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

SIR EDWARD WAS SEEN OFF AT THE AIRPORT BY THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DENIS BRAY, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROGER LOBO AND THE VICE-CHIEF EDITOR OF THE XINHUA NEWS AGENCY (HONG KONG BRANCH), MR TAN GAN.

GOVERNMENT PRESSING ON WITH PUBLIC.WORKS

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EXPENDITURE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1984-85 ON CAPITAL WORKS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WAS ESTIMATED AT $6 800 MILLION, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR EDDY SHORT, SAID THIS (TUESDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING AT THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS' ASSOCIATION'S DINNER, MR SHORT POINTED OUT THAT THIS FIGURE EXCLUDED SPENDING ON THE BUILDING OF PUBLIC HOUSING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURE UNDER THE DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT.

IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAD INJECTED $3 600 MILLION WORTH OF NEW PUBLIC WORKS, HE SAID, AND EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT THIS LEVEL OF NEW COMMITMENTS WOULD BE MAINTAINED OR INCREASED IN 1985-86.

+THIS IS A FIRM INDICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND I HOPE, BY IMPLICATION, THE CONTINUING WELL BEING OF YOUR MEMBERS, MR SHORT SAID.

HE SAID THE INJECTION OF FUNDS WOULD ALLOW WORK TO BE STARTED ON 120 NEW ITEMS.

THE $3 600 MILLION COMPRISES $745 MILLION FOR BUILDINGS, $47 MILLION FOR PORT WORKS, $648 MILLION FOR SEWAGE-REFUSE DISPOSAL, $510 MILLION FOR ROADS, $162 MILLION FOR TRANSPORT PROJECTS OTHER THAN ROADS, $296 MILLION FOR RECLAMATION AND LAND FORMATION, AND $ 1 192 MILLION FOR WATER SUPPLIES WORKS.

IN ADDITION, THERE WERE MANY MAJOR ON-GOING PROJECTS ON WHICH THE EXPENDITURE WOULD TOTAL ABOUT $8 760 MILLION.

+ 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, REDHILL AND THE NEW BANK OF CHINA BUILDING, + MR SHORT SAID.

/MAJOR PRIVATE