XN000022-1989-06-05 — Page 8

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MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1989

"THE COST OF SUCH TREATMENT MUST BE BUILT CALCULATIONS OF PROFITABILITY. THIS IS ONE OF THE MESSAGES OF THE WHITE PAPER: POLLUTERS SHOULD PAY.'

"

INTO INDUSTRY MOST IMPORTANT

THE GOVERNMENT'S TOP PRIORITIES ARE TO IMPROVE SUBSTANTIALLY AIR AND WATER QUALITY IN HONG KONG, AND STEPS BEING TAKEN TOWARD THIS AIM INCLUDE RELOCATING ALL GARBAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL AWAY FROM THE URBAN AREAS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE URBAN AND MUNICIPAL

COUNCILS.

CHEMICAL WASTE WILL BE TREATED IN A PURPOSE BUILT TREATMENT CENTRE WHICH WILL COMMENCE OPERATIONS IN 1991; $12 BILLION WILL BE SPENT OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS TO COMPLETELY OVERHAUL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS; AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS WILL BE TIGHTENED SO THAT WE DO NOT POISON OURSELVES THROUGH USE OF POOR QUALITY FUELS AND ILL-DESIGNED ENGINES.

THE NEW NOISE CONTROL ORDINANCE WILL BE INTRODUCED GRADUALLY TO BRING DOWN THE NOISE LEVEL IN THE WORK PLACE, ON CONSTRUCTION SITES AND IN THE HOME; MORE THOUGHTFUL PLANNING WILL BE PUT INTO DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SO THAT THE MISTAKES OF THE PAST ARE NOT REPEATED; AND MOST OF ALL TO BRING ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, MANUFACTURERS AND MEN AND WOMEN IN THE STREET, BEHIND THE IN THINKING AND BEHAVING RESPONSIBLY.

MANAGERS, GOVERNMENT

SIR DAVID APPEALED TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AS RESPONSIBLE MANAGERS AND BUSINESSMEN, TO THINK IN TERMS OF COSTS: WHETHER IN THE LONG RUN IT WAS CHEAPER TO PREVENT OR TO PUT RIGHT. "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE ANSWER, HE SAID.

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THE CHIEF SECRETARY NOTED THAT HONG KONG HAD COME A LONG WAY SINCE THE NOVELTY OF CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGNS AND LAP SAP CHUNG "BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, THE NEW TOWNS, URBAN RENEWALS AND THE HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING WHICH THEY HAVE PRODUCED FOR ALL HAVE CREATED A CLEANER AND HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT.

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"BUT A VISIT TO OUR BEACHES AND COUNTRY PARKS IS ENOUGH то CONVINCE EVERYONE THAT WE LIVE IN A THROW AWAY' OR RATHER A 'THROW ANYWHERE' SOCIETY. THIS IS AS EXPENSIVE AS IT IS UNNECESSARY.

SIR DAVID NOTED THAT 1989 WAS A YEAR FOR DECISIONS.

**

"WE LIVE IN ONE OF THE TRULY GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD. WE HAVE BUILT IT BY OUR OWN COURAGE AND EXERTIONS. AS A COMMUNITY WE HAVE TRIUMPHED OVER ENORMOUS HARDSHIPS. WE HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD IN MANY FIELDS, IN HOUSING, IN HEALTH, IN EDUCATION, IN THE BOLDNESS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURAL PLANNING, IN THE SPEED WITH WHICH WE HAVE RACED TOWARDS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.

"THE WORLD IS LITTERED WITH HORRENDOUS EXAMPLES OF HOW NOT TO DEAL WITH POLLUTION IN CROWDED URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.

"LET US BE DETERMINED TO SHOW THE WORLD ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS SHOULD AND CAN BE DONE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

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