XN000022-1988-08-16 — Page 7

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1988

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GOVT EFFORTS TO IMPROVE RURAL LIFE

WITEN DEVELOPING NEW TOWNS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS ENDEAVOURED TO IMPROVE FACILITIES FOR THE VILLAGES, THE TURN MUN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR JOHN WAN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE MADE THE REMARK DURING HIS VISIT TO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE DISTRICT.

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A NUMBER OP

"IN THE COURSE OF NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT, VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENTS HAVE BEEN PLANNED AND UNDERTAKEN BY DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED, AIMING AT BUILDING A SELF-CONTAINED AND BALANCED COMMUNITY, MR WAN SAID.

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NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION, HOUSING, TRANSPORT, RECREATION AS WELL AS COMMUNITY FACILITIES.

"HOWEVER, THIS MIGHT WIDEN THE GAP IN THE LIVING STANDARD BETWEEN NEW TOWN RESIDENTS AND VILLAGERS, RESULTING IN A NOTICEABLE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE MODERN AND AESTHETIC APPEARANCE OF THE NEW TOWNS AND THE OFTEN POOR AND UNSATISFACTORY LIVING ENVIRONMENT OF THE RURAL AREAS, MR WAN NOTED.

HE STRESSED THAT COMMON PROBLEMS CONFRONTING VILLAGERS WERK SUB-STANDARD DRAINAGE, THE LACK OF ROAD ACCESS, AND INADEQUATE STREET LIGHTING, RECREATION AND SANITARY FACILITIES WHILE HEAVY RAIN MIGHT ALSO CAUSE FLOODING.

AT PRESENT, THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT HAS A POPULATION OF 330,000

WITH 50,000 OF THEM LIVING IN THE RURAL HINTERLAND.

MR WAN SAID THE DISTRICT OFFICE HAD BEEN TRYING ΤΟ BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE NEW TOWN AND VILLAGES THROUGH THE LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS (LPW) PROGRAMME.

"ALL LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS ARE AIMED AT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE RURAL AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES," MR WAN EXPLAINED.

HE RECALLED THAT THE LPW PROGRAMME WAS INITIATED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 1919 WITH THE AIM OF PROVIDING BASIC FACILTIES AND

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RURAL AREAS AND VILLAGERS.

"AT THAT TIME THE PROGRAMME WAS BASICALLY A SELF-HELP PROGRAMME WHEREBY MATERIALS SUCH AS CEMENT, STEAL REINFORCEMENT AND PIPES WERE SUPPLIED TO THE VILLAGERS FOR THEM ΤΟ UNDERTAKE MINOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS HE ADDED.

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SINCE BREN SET UP IN

HE ALSO SAID THAT A WORKS SECTION HAD EACH OF THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICT OFFICES WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PLANNING, CO-ORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LPW PROJECTS.

THE SCOPE