XN000022-1987-04-01 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 1987

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MR BARNES SAID HE WAS ALSO CONCERNED TO BUILD UP THE EMPLOYMENT OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, AND WAS PLEASED TO SEE HOW MANY LOCALS WERE NOW EMPLOYED BY THE CONSULTANTS.

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ON THE PLANNING OF TSING YI, MR BARNES SAID THE PLANNING POLICY FOR TSING YI MUST CLEARLY BE POPULATION IN THE EAST AND NORTH-EAST AND INDUSTRY AND PETROLEUM ETC. IN WEST AND SOUTH WITH THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE TO DIVIDE THEM.

+I AGREE THAT WE HAVE IN THE PAST PUT TOGET HER WHAT ARE NOW SEEN AS UNSUITABLE NEIGHBOURS IN EAST AND NORTH TSING YI, AND IN THE LONG TERM WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO SORT THEM OUT WHENEVER OPPORTUNITY ARISES, HE SAID.

+WE ARE STUDYING THIS AND OTHER PLANNING PROBLEMS IN CONNECTION WITH WHAT WE CALL POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS INSTALLATIONS IN A SPECIAL COMMITTEE.

+WE WILL HOWEVER QUITE SOON HAVE A SECOND BRIDGE FOR TSING YI, WHICH WILL REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON A SINGLE ROUTE, HE SAID.

TURNING TO IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL AREAS, MR BARNES SAID GOVERNMENT WAS PUTTING SUBSTANTIALLY MORE RESOURCES INTO RURAL ACCESS ROADS AND SANITATION SCHEMES THIS YEAR THAN PREVIOUSLY AND THIS SHOULD PRODUCE MORE RESULTS.

HOWEVER, HE SAID HE ACCEPTED THE NEED FOR A SYSTEMATIC PROGRAMME OF UPGRADING RURAL SANITATION AND GOVERNMENT WAS EXAMINING HOW THIS SHOULD BEST BE ACHIEVED.

+RESUMPTION HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN AVOIDED BECAUSE OF THE SELF-HELP TRADITION OF LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME, BUT I ACCEPT THAT SOME RESUMPTION MAY BE NECESSARY.

+ SHOULD POINT OUT HOWEVER THAT RESUMPTIONS MEAN BOTH TIME AND MONEY, AND IF ALL PRIVATE LAND REQUIRED TO IMPROVE . THE RURAL AREAS MUST BE RESUMED, THIS IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN A MUCH LONGER PROGRAMME, HE SAID.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED

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SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) CITING THE COMPLETION OF THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KCR AND THE MTR ISLAND LINE AS EXAMPLES.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1997, MR LEUNG SAID: +SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN MADE WITH HIGHWAYS PROJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE THE OPENING OF THE TOLO HIGHWAY AND OTHER WORK ON THE NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD, AND THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR.

/+WORK BAS

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