XN000022-1988-04-09 — Page 2

-

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1988

GOVERNOR VISITS MAI PO MARSHES

*

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TODAY (SATURDAY) STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF JOINT EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN PRESERVING NATURAL RESOURCES AND HABITATS FOR BIRDS AND ANIMALS HONG KONG,

IN

SIR DAVID WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING MAI PO MARSHES, HONG KONG'S FIRST WILDLIFE AND BIRD SANCTUARY,

THE GOVERNOR TOURED A WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTRE AND MET PARTICIPANTS OF THE ANNUAL BIG BIRD RACE ORGANISED BY WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE HONG KONG (WWF HK) TO RAISE FUNDS FOR NATURE CONSERVATION WORKS.

HE SAID THE GOVERNFMENT IS VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THINGS LIKE THE PARK ARBA OF HONG KONG ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE TERRITORY

IS COUNTRY PARKS.

"IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL SHOULD BE INVOLVED THROUGH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. AND FOR THAT REASON THIS SORT OF FUND RAISING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS VERY IMPORTANT ΤΟ SHOW THE PEOPLE HAVE A REAL INTEREST AND THEY DON'T JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING ΤΟ THE GOVERNMENT, SIR DAVID SAID.

帽

AND

HE SAID THAT NATURE CONSERVATION IS IMPORTANT IN THIS HUGH DEVELOPING CITY SO THAT THERE IS A CHANCE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE NOT KNOW ABOUT THE NATURAL HABITAT.

THIS

IT WAS PRECISELY WHAT WWF HK HAD BEEN DOING IN DEVELOPING RESERVE AT MAI PO, BOTH PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SPECIALISTS ΤΟ COME AND LOOK AT BIRDS BUT ALSO PROVIDING AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN, HE NOTED.

SIR DAVID IS THE PATRON OF WWF HK.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE DECISION BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO CONSTRUCT THE SHENZHEN AIRPORT AT HUANG TIAN, SIR DAVID SAID THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR THE NATURE RESERVE AT MAI PO AND FOR THE ONE JUST CLOSE TO SHENZHEN.

"I THINK IT WOULD BE A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR BECAUSE OF THAT," HE ADDED.

AN AIRPORT

ASKED TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON TODAY'S ANNIVERSARY OF KIS BEING THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID SAID: TO COME BACK TO HONG KONG AND ΤΟ BE WORKING FOR HONG KONG IS A TREMENDOUS PRIVILEGE. I CAN'T THINK OF A JOB WHICH IS MORE INTERESTING, MORE IMPORTANT OR MORE WORTHWHILE. VERY MUCH ENJOY MY FIRST YEAR HERE.

"I HAVE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME LEARNING ABOUT HONG KONG. I HAVE STILL GOT A LOT TO LEARN. IT HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTING AND VERY WORTHWHILE YEAR AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE MANY MORE OF THEM."

/2