XN000022-1990-04-04 — Page 35

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 1990

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NEW SCHOOL FEE REMISSION SCHEME TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY

THE IMPACT OF THE NEW FEE REMISSION SCHEME WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY DURING THE 1990-91 SCHOOL YEAR WITH A VIEW TO INTRODUCING ANY NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS IN THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON K.Y. YEUNG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON RITA FAN, MR YEUNG SAID WITH THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, THE APPLICATION OF THE PROPOSED POINTS SYSTEM UNDER THE NEW KINDERGARTEN FEE REMISSION SCHEME TO BE INTRODUCED IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR MAY RESULT IN A SMALL NUMBER OF APPLICANTS QUALIFYING FOR A LEVEL OF FEE REMISSION LOWER THAN THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE UNDER THE EXISTING FEE ASSISTANCE SCHEME.

"THE APPROVAL OF THE FC WILL BE SOUGHT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO BE GIVEN THE DISCRETION IN SUCH CASES TO AWARD A LEVEL OF REMISSION NOT LESS THAN THE AMOUNT UNDER THE EXISTING FER ASSISTANCE SCHEME, HE SAID.

FULL RANGE OF FACILITIES PLANNED FOR TIN SHUI WAI

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THE TIN SHUI WAI DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN PLANNED WITH A FULL RANGE OF GOVERNMENT, INSTITUTIONAL AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES TO CATER FOR THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS, THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS, THE HON GRAHAM BARNES, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH, MR BARNES SAID: "THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT, AS WITH OTHER NEW TOWNS, IS PHASED IN A NUMBER OF PACKAGES WHICH WILL ENSURE A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT OF HOUSING AND FACILITIES.

HE NOTED THAT AS IN THE CASE OF OTHER NEW TOWNS, WORKING GROUPS WOULD SET UP TO ENSURE THE BASIC COMMUNITY SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE ON TIME TO SERVE THE INITIAL POPULATION INTAKE.

"THE FIRST PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE IS EXPECTED ΤΟ BE COMPLETED IN MAY 1992 AND ESSENTIAL SOCIAL, MEDICAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND COMMUNAL FACILITIES WILL BE IN PLACE WHEN THE ESTATE TAKES IN THEIR FIRST TENANTS," HE SAID.

"HOWEVER, AS THE PROGRAMME OF POPULATION INTAKE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSING HAS YET TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE DEVELOPER, A FIRM PROGRAMME OF PROVISION OF FACILITIES CAN ONLY BE FINALISED AT A LATER DATE," HE ADDED.

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