XN000022-1992-11-04 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4,

1992

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ON THE ALLOCATION OF DISTRICT BOARD FUNDS, MR SUEN REITERATED THAT IT WOULD BE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN ORDER TO ENABLE THE ADVISORY BODIES TO UNDERTAKE MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND MINOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THEIR DISTRICTS.

HE ADDED THAT DISTRICT BOARDS ALSO RECEIVED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR WORTHWHILE DISTRICT PROJECTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES SUCH AS THE LOTTERIES FUND, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND LOCAL BUSINESSMEN.

FOR THIS REASON, THERE WAS NO PLAN TO SUPPLEMENT THESE ARRANGEMENTS BY ALLOWING DISTRICT BOARDS TO HAVE INDEPENDENT SOURCES OF REVENUE SIMILAR TO THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, HE SAID.

MR SUEN SAID THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AMONG THE 19 DISTRICTS WAS DETERMINED BY THE POPULATION OF THE DISTRICT, THE GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD OF THE DISTRICT, DISTRICT NEEDS AND PAST RECORD OF EXPENDITURE.

PROPOSAL TO EXTEND EXHIBITION FACILITY BEING STUDIED

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THE ADMINISTRATION IS STUDYING A PROPOSAL BY THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO CONSTRUCT AN EXTENSION FACILITY TO THE HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE (HKCEC), THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MS DENISE YUE, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HUANG CHEN-YA, MS YUE SAID THE OCCUPANCY RATE OF THE TWO EXHIBITION HALLS OF TOTALING 18,000 SQ.M. FOR THE YEAR MAY 1991 TO APRIL 1992 WAS 60%.

HONG RONG'S EXHIBITION FACILITIES ARE MAINLY PROVIDED BY THOUGH SOME SMALLER-SCALE EVENTS ARE HELD IN VENUES SUCH AS RESOURCES CENTRE, HOTELS AND SOMETIMES SHOPPING COMPLEXES.

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AROEND

HRC EQ CHINA

MS YUE SAID IT WAS NOT EASY что FORECAST THE DEMAND FOR EXHIBITION FACILITIES SINCE DEMAND WAS AFFECTED BY A NUMBER OF FACTORS SUCH AS THE ECONOMIC AND TRADE ENVIRONMENT, THE AVAILABILITY AND RELATIVE COMPETITIVENESS OF OTHER EXHIBITION CENTRES IN THE REGION.

"HOWEVER, BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA OF THE OCCUPANCY RATE OF THE HKCEC EXHIBITION FACILITIES, THE UTILISATION RATE FOR MEDIUM TO LARGE- SCALE EXHIBITIONS IS LIKELY TO GROW BY ABOUT 7% ANNUALLY.

"ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, WE ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY FIRM PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES TO CONSTRUCT ANY PREMISES FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF HOLDING EXHIBITIONS. IT SHOULD HOWEVER BE NOTED THAT NEW FACILITIES FOR SMALL- TO MEDIUM-SCALE EVENTS MAY BE AVAILABLE IN HOTELS SHOPPING ARCADES TO BE BUILT IN THE YEARS TO COME," SHE SAID.

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