XN000022-1985-05-16 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1985

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HIGH COST BLOCKS MUSEUM PLAN

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THE PROPOSAL FOR A JOINT MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN TSIM SHA TSUI EAST HAS HAD TO BE SHELVED BECAUSE OF ITS HIGH COST.

THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES, MR GRAHAM BARNES, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD WRITTEN LETTERS TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB YESTERDAY INFORMING THEM THAT BECAUSE THE ESTIMATED COST HAD RISEN TO OVER $450 MILLION, THE GOVERNOR DID NOT NOW FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE JUSTIFIED TO ASK THE JOCKEY CLUB TO FUND THE PROJECT.

THE GOVERNOR HAD SAID THAT HE FELT THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST BENEFICIAL WAY TO SPEND SO LARGE A SUM OF PUBLIC MONEY. HE HAD THEREFORE ASKED THAT PLANNING WORK ON THE PROJECT SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED FOR THE TIME BEING.

COMMENTING ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, SAID THAT IT WAS DISAPPOINTING NEWS BUT THE COUNCIL WOULD NOW HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT SHOULD PROCEED WITH ITS PLANS FOR A TEMPORARY SCIENCE MUSEUM, WHICH WERE DISCONTINUED WHEN THE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED OF THE PROPOSED JOCKEY CLUB DONATION OF $200 MILLION TOWARDS THE MUSEUM BUILDING.

NOW, FOLLOWING THIS LATEST DEVELOPMENT, THE COUNCIL WOULD BE CONSIDERING OTHER OPTIONS FOR PROVIDING THESE SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC.

SIR PHILIP VISITS CONTAINER TERMINAL

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY (THURSDAY) VISITED THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL WHERE HE WAS BRIEFED ON ITS FACILITIES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

AS THE LEADING CONTAINER PORT IN ASIA AND THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE WORLD, THE TERMINAL PROVIDES SIX BERTHS WITH MORE THAN 2 300 METRES OF QUAY AND ABOUT 88 HECTARES OF BACKUP SPACE FOR CARGO HANDLING, CONTAINER STORAGE AND CONTAINER FREIGHT STATIONS.

DURING 1984, IT HANDLED A TOTAL OF 2.1 MILLION T.E.U.S (20-FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS), REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 14 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

/ACCOMPANIED BY