XN000022-1989-10-11 — Page 49

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1989

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THE FIRST SECTION OF THE MTR (FROM SHEK KIP MEI TO KWUN TONG) HAD JUST OPENED ON SEPTEMBER 30.

WE HAD 2.2 MILLION FIGURE LAST YEAR;

TOURISTS, ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE

WE HAD NO BANK BUILDING HIGHER THAN 20 STOREYS, NO EXCHANGE SQUARE (BUT FOUR STOCK EXCHANGES), NO ACADEMY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, NO TSIM SHA TSUI EAST, NO ABERDEEN TUNNEL AND NO AIRPORT TUNNEL.

LOOKING AHEAD SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 10 YEARS, SIR DAVID SAID IN THE YEAR 2000. HONG KONG WOULD BE A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

CHIEF

"IT WILL HAVE A WHOLLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE. THE EXECUTIVE, AND ALL THE MOST SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WILL BE HONG KONG CHINESE.

"THEY WILL EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG.

THE

"THE SAR WILL BE A LEADING REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL CENTRE IN WHICH FOREIGN NATIONALS WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART. AND IT WILL BE PLAYING A FULL ROLE IN A WIDE VARIETY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, HE SAID.

PHYSICALLY, THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT, HONG KONG WOULD HAVE CHANGED ALMOST BEYOND RECOGNITION.

"IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 25 MINUTES TO TRAVEL BY RAIL FROM CENTRAL KOWLOON TO THE NEW AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK. ON THE WAY, YOU WILL GO ALONG THE NEW WEST KOWLOON RECLAMATION AND PASS NEW PORT FACILITIES AT STONECUTTERS ISLAND AND TSING YI.

TO THE CHINESE YI.

THE ROUTE 3

"ALTERNATIVELY, YOU COULD TRAVEL FROM CENTRAL BORDER VIA THE NEW WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, TSING TUNNEL TO YUEN LONG AND THE LOK MA CHAU BRIDGE," HE SAID.

"REDEVELOPMENT WILL BE BEGINNING ON THE PRESENT SITE OF KAI TAK AIRPORT. OUR CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, BY THEN DOUBLED IN SIZE, WILL BE SOME 300 METRES INLAND. SO WILL EXCHANGE SQUARE.

"THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT WILL HAVE EXPANDED GREATLY ONTO A NEW RECLAMATION WITH A VARIETY OF NEW CIVIC, CULTURAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND WITH A CONTINUOUS WALKWAY BESIDE THE HARBOUR LINKING OPEN PARK AREAS, TT SIR DAVID SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID STRIKING SOCIAL CHANGES WOULD ALSO HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

CENT

"OUR AMBITIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMME MEANS THAT ABOUT HALF OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE LIVING IN SUBSIDISED HOUSING, ALMOST 40 PER OF THEM IN FLATS WHICH THEY OWN THEMSELVES.

/"OUR REVISED