XN000022-1984-11-09 — Page 13

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1984

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BIG WORKS SPENDING GOES ON

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THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR NICKY CHAN, THIS (FRIDAY) EVENING REITERATED GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF FUNDING OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME.

MR CHAN WHO WAS SPEAKING AT THE JOINT ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS, THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF BUILDING AND THE INSTITUTION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, SAID MANY MAJOR PROJECTS COULD BE EXPECTED TO START. THESE PROJECTS INCLUDED THE CULTURAL FACILITIES AT TSIM SHA TSUI, SHA TIN AND TUEN MUN- COURT AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES AT WAN CHAI, QUEENSWAY AND CENTRAL (HARBOUR BUILDING).

+NEW HEADQUARTERS BUILDINGS FOR BOTH THE POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES ARE ALSO IN THE PIPELINE, AS ARE MAJOR HOSPITALS FOR TUEN MUN AND SHAU KEI WAN, HE SAID.

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LAST WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, MR CHAN HAD SAID THAT $3.8 BILLION WORTH OF NEW PROJECTS WOULD BE INJECTED IN 1985-86 INTO THE PROGRAMME, AN INCREASE OF $200 MILLION OVER THIS FINANCIAL YEAR AND $500 MILLION OVER 1983-84.

MR CHAN SAID THAT ONE OF THE MOST LASTING MEMORIES THAT THE MILLIONS OF VISITORS TO HONG KONG TOOK BACK WITH THEM EACH YEAR WAS THE VIEW FROM THE PEAK TOWARDS KOWLOON.

+NOTWITHSTANDING THE MAGNIFICENCE OF OUR NATURAL HARBOUR, IT IS PERHAPS THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUILDINGS IN A CROWDED URBAN SETTING THAT MUST BE UPPERMOST IN THE IR MEMORIES, AS THESE CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO WHAT HAS BEEN RIGHTLY DESCRIBED AS THE MOST SPECTACULAR PANORAMA IN THE WORLD, + HE SAID.

+ IT IS BUILDINGS THAT FORM THE HEART OF THIS BUSTLING CITY AND THEY HAVE A PROFOUND INFLUENCE NOT ONLY ON THE PLACE BUT ALSO ON ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR LIFE STYLE.+

WHILE ADMITTING THAT HONG KONG'S HILLY TERRAIN, CONGESTED SITES, DIFFICULT GEOTECHNICAL CONDITIONS ALL CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO THE PROBLEMS, HE SAID IT WAS THESE ASPECTS THAT MADE HONG KONG SUCH AN EXCITING AND CHALLENGING PLACE FOR THE ENGINEERS TO WORK.

+ THE MANY VARYING TYPES AND COMPLEXITY OF BUILDING ARE THE TESTIMONY TO YOUR INGENUITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS IN OVERCOMING THESE PROBLEMS, HE SAID.

+MOREOVER, THEY ARE GENERALLY ACCOMPLISHED IN SUCH A SHORT TIME SCALE THAT OUR SPEED OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IS NOW THE ENVY OF THE WORLD.+

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