XN000022-1989-11-08 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1989

"AND IT HAS A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE OVERALL QUALITY OF URBAN RENEWAL. IN WHICH OF COURSE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (LDC) IS PLAYING AND WILL PLAY ITS PART.

JI

MR BARNES SAID THESE WERE COMPLEX REDEVELOPMENT SCHEMES WHICH AFFECT LARGE NUMBERS OF RESIDENTS.

то ENSURE THAT EQUITABLE REHOUSING AND COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS WERE GIVEN TO THOSE AFFECTED BY LDC'S PROPOSALS. HE HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY ΤΟ ASSESS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONCERNED DEPARTMENTS THE IMPACT OF EACH AND EVERY PROJECT PROPOSED.

TEAM

"LDC PROJECTS ARE GIVEN PRIORITY WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY. A SPECIAL TEAM CALLED THE CO-ORDINATING URBAN RENEWAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TOWN PLANNING OFFICE TO CO-ORDINATE WORK ON ALL THE LDC SCHEMES.

"WE ARE PRESENTLY DEALING WITH THE FIRST GENERATION OF SCHEMES WHICH ARE VERY LARGE AND WHICH WILL AFFECT A LOT OF PEOPLE. WE THINK THAT BETWEEN US WE ARE GETTING THEM RIGHT AND THAT IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER TO PROCESS SUBSEQUENT SCHEMES. HE SAID.

·

A SUM OF $390 MILLION HAD BEEN EARMARKED UNDER THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION SCHEME FOR EXPENDITURE ON RPIS CAPITAL WORKS IN 1989-94.

MR BARNES ALSO SAID THE IMPLICATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S TWO PER CENT ESTABLISHMENT GROWTH CEILING ON THIS WAS NOW BEING EXAMINED.

"

'AS THE RPIS IS STAFF INTENSIVE IN NATURE, SOME PROJECTS MAY HAVE TO BE DEFERRED UNTIL STAFF ARE AVAILABLE, HE SAID.

FURTHER CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL INTERESTS WOULD TAKE PLACE IN MID TO LATE 1990 ONCE THE REVISED SCOPE OF RPIS HAD BEEN DETERMINED.

IN RESPONSE TO FEARS EXPRESSED BY ONE MEMBER, MR BARNES SAID THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT'S REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL AND RECURRENT RESOURCES. ALTHOUGH NOT UNSCATHED BY PRESSURES TO ECONOMISE. SEEMED LIKELY TO BE LARGELY SUCCESSFUL.

"WE WILL. HOWEVER, HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS OUR PRIORITIES VERY CAREFULLY AND IN THIS CONNECTION I LIKE TO ASSURE MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS FOLLOWING NO SLAVISH LINE OF ADHERENCE ΤΟ OVERSEAS

STANDARDS.

"THE STANDARDS WHICH WE ARE ADOPTING ARE WHAT WE SEE AS PRACTICAL AND PRACTICABLE MEANS OF REDUCING POLLUTION, WITH TOF PRIORITY BEING GIVEN TO MEASURES WHICH HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON HEALTH,

"THESE ARE. THE REDUCTION OF SULPHUR CONTENT IN FUEL OIL AND THE REMOVAL OF THE 30 PER CENT ALLOWANCE ON EXISTING LIQUID

上

DISCHARGES. HE SAID.

EFFLUENT

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