XN000022-1986-04-27 — Page 9

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SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 1986

+ THE DEPARTMENT'S PLANNERS HAVE PAINSTAKINGLY APPRAISED THESE PROJECTS BEFORE GIVING THEM A PRIORITY RATING RELATIVE TO OTHER PROJECTS IN THE SAME CATEGORY.

+HOWEVER, IF MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR DB ARE STRONGLY IN FAVOUR OF ONE PROJECT IN THEIR DISTRICT BEING STARTED BEFORE ANOTHER WHICH HAS REACHED THE SAME STAGE OF PLANNING, WE WILL WHEREVER POSSIBLE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR WISHES.

+ BUT IT MUST BE NOTED THAT, TO TAKE AN EXTREME EXAMPLE A HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECT WHICH IS ONLY IN A PRELIMINARY STAGE OF PLANNING COULD NOT SUDDENLY BE PUSHED FORWARD FOR IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE A LONG LEAD TIME IS NORMALLY REQUIRED BY EACH PROJECT.

+ THE AMOUNT OF LEAD TIME REQUIRED DEPENDS ON THE TYPE AND SCALE OF THE PROJECT WHICH HAS TO BE TAKEN FROM THE PRELIMINARY STAGE OF DRAWING UP THE SCOPE OF DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN THE PREPARATION OF LAYOUT PLANS, COST ESTIMATES, DETAILED WORKING DRAWINGS AND TENDER DOCUMENTS, TO THE GAZETTING AND LETTING OF CONTRACTS, AND EVENTUALLY THROUGH TO THE STAGE WHERE CONSTRUCTION WORK ACTUALLY STARTS ON SITE.+

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE WORKS PROGRAMME FOR EACH DISTRICT PROVIDED INFORMATION COVERING THE SCOPE OF FACILITIES, SITE AREA, SITE STATUS OR DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS, PLANNING STAGE AND CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE OF EACH PROJECT.

+SHOULD THERE BE PARTICULARLY KEEN INTEREST EXPRESSED IN CERTAIN PROJECTS, OFFICERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT ARE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THEM IN GREATER DETAIL,+ HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT A LIST OF MINOR WORKS PROJECTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR STARTING DATES, WAS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE DISTRICT WORKS PROGRAMME IN ORDER TO GIVE DB MEMBERS A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF UC DEVELOPMENTS IN THEIR DISTRICTS.

+ BUT NO CONSULTATION ON THEIR PRIORITY IS REQUIRED SINCE THEIR LOW COST AND RELATIVELY SHORT PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION TIME RENDER THE ALLOCATION OF PRIORITIES UNNECESSARY,+ HE ADDED.

AFTER THE VIEWS OF ALL 10 DBS HAVE BEEN SOUGHT, THE DEPARTMENT WILL ANALYSE THEM CAREFULLY TO PRODUCE A DRAFT FIVE-YEAR PROGRAMME TAKING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA INTO CONSIDERATION:

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