XN000022-1985-12-09 — Page 12

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1985

THE REST OF MR JI'S PROGRAMME FROM DECEMBER 10 TO 13 WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

FOLLOWING IS THE PRESS ARRANGEMENT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF MR JĮ TOMORROW I

THERE WILL BE A FIXED POSITION AT THE ARRIVAL HALL +FINGER+ OF THE AIRPORT FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS AND CAMERAMEN TO COVER HIS ARRIVAL. MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD ASSEMBLE AT THE AIRPORT PRESS ROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING NOT LATER THAN 10 AM.

GOVERNMENT IN GOOD PLANNING POSITION WITH STUDIES

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PLANNING WORK CARRIED OUT SINCE 1980 HAS PLACED THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS BEST POSITION EVER TO RESPOND TO THE PRESSURE FOR GROWTH, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR TONY EASON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON ON THE RECENTLY-PUBLISHED PLANNING FOR GROWTH+, MR EASON SAID THAT WHEN STUDIES COVERED BY THE BOOKLET STARTED, POPULATION PROJECTIONS SAID THE TERRITORY WOULD BE HOME TO ABOUT SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE BY THE YEAR 2000.

REVISED POPULATION PROJECTIONS LATE IN 1984 PUT THE FIGURE AT 6.4 MILLION BY 2000.

+THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT OUR PLANNING WORK TO DATE HAS BEEN WASTED OR IS WRONG OR THAT HARBOUR RECLAMATION WON'T BE NEEDED,+ MR EASON SAID.

+POPULATION GROWTH MAY HAVE SLOWED BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS NOT STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE PRESSURE TO PRODUCE MORE LAND MAY HAVE LESSENED BUT IT HAS NOT DISAPPEARED ALTOGETHER.

→THE WORK DONE ON OUR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY STUDIES IS SUCH THAT, PROVIDED IT IS REGULARLY UPDATED, IT CAN HELP US WITH OUR DECISION-MAKING ON DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING PROGRESSIVELY FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.+

+MOREOVER, WE MUST NOT FORGET THAT OUR DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ARE NOT GENERATED PURELY BY POPULATION GROWTH BUT ALSO SPRING FROM ECONOMIC FACTORS SUCH AS THE TERRITORY'S ROLE AS A PORT AND ENTREPOT AND A FINANCIAL, TRADING AND TOURIST CENTRE.

/+THE NEXT

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