XN000022-1987-01-15 — Page 7

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1987

HOWEVER, HE SAID, AT THE DISCUSSIONS IN GUANGDONG IT WAS AGREED AN ADDITIONAL 10 TO 20 PER CENT WOULD BE PROVIDED THIS MONTH AND NEXT, AND FROM MAY TO JULY THE AVERAGE DAILY DELIVERY RATE WOULD BE INCREASED BY 200 000 CUBIC METRES.

+

+ WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE READY WAY IN WHICH THE WATER AUTHORITIES IN GUANGDONG HAVE AGREED TO SUPPLY US WITH THIS ADDITIONAL WATER, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE EXTRA WATER WOULD IMPROVE THE SITUATION TO THE EXTENT THAT IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN A FULL SUPPLY FOR THE WHOLE OF THE NEXT WET AND DRY SEASONS PROVIDED THE YIELD IN THE COMING SUMMER WAS AT LEAST AVERAGE.

IN THE EVENT OF A DROUGHT DURING THE SUMMER, MORE RESOURCES WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED OR SUPPLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REDUCED.

+A FURTHER REVIEW WILL BE MADE IN LATE JUNE,+ HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CHARGE FOR WATER FROM CHINA HAD BEEN REVISED TO $1.03 PER CUBIC METRE AS COMPARED WITH THE CURRENT RATE OF RMBO.33, WHICH WAS EQUIVALENT TO $0.91 WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED IN 1985, BUT WAS NOW EQUIVALENT TO $0.71 AT THE CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE.

HE SAID THE CHARGE WOULD BE 10 PER CENT HIGHER FOR THE EXTRA WATER TO BE SUPPLIED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND FROM MAY TO JULY.

+ IT IS INEVITABLE THAT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES LOCAL WATER CHARGES WILL HAVE TO BE REVISED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

MEDICAL CARE FOR ELDERLY TO BE EXPANDED

*****

THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO PROVIDE A FURTHER 2 400 INFIRMARY BEDS. 600 GERIATRIC BEDS AND 400 DAY HOSPITAL PLACES IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO MEET THE INCREASING MEDICAL NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY.

THE REQUIREMENT AND PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE FOR PEOPLE AGED 65 AND OVER WAS ONE OF THE SUBJECTS DISCUSSED BY THE MEDICAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MDAC) TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE MEETING WAS INFORMED OF THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY CARRIED OUT LAST JULY TO ASSESS THE DEMANDS FOR INFIRMARY BEDS. THIS IDENTIFIED A TOTAL REQUIREMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL 1 486 INFIRMARY BEDS.

/AT PRESENT,