XN000022-1992-11-14 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1992

(THE

"GOVERNOR PATTEN'S ACTIVITIES ARE CONSISTENT WITH THAT PRINCIPLES IN THE JOINT DECLARATION), AND SEEK TO GIVE LIFE TO MANY OF THE PROVISIONS, WHICH IS WHOLLY CONSISTENT WITH THE DESIRES EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO, SAID MR MULRONEY.

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AS A FRIENDLY GESTURE TO THE CANADIAN PEOPLE, THE GOVERNOR ON FRIDAY PRESENTED, ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, A 12-METRE-LONG DRAGON BOAT TO THE MUSEUM OF CIVILISATION. THE MADE-IN HONG KONG VESSEL WILL BECOME A PERMANENT EXHIBIT IN THE MUSEUM.

MR PATTEN ALSO ATTENDED A LUNCHEON GIVEN BY THE HONG KONG CANADA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND OTTAWA CARLETON BOARD OF TRADE, AND VISITED BELL NORTHERN RESEARCH LABORATORIES IN NEPEAN,

HE IS LEAVING OTTAWA ON SATURDAY FOR TORONTO,

THE LAST STOP OF

HIS VISIT IN CANADA.

HE WILL HAVE A MEETING WITH THE HON BARBARA MCDOUGALL, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, AND VISIT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO BEFORE SETTING OFF FOR LONDON,

GOVERNMENT WORKS CONTRACTS AWARDED WITHIN ESTIMATES

* * * * *

DETAILS OF 18 GOVERNMENT CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS WORTH $18.81 BILLION AWARDED FOR THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME (ACP) WERE RELEASED IN TABULAR FORM TODAY (SATURDAY) BY THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION OFFICE (NAPCO).

"ALL THESE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED ON TIME AND WITHIN COST ESTIMATES. THE TABLE SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF THIS SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT, WITH ESTIMATES AND VALUES FOR EACH CONTRACT, THE DIRECTOR OF NAPCO, MR GORDON SIU, SAID.

**

"WE HAVE PRODUCED THIS INFORMATION, WITH DETAILS OF CONTRACT PERIODS AS WELL AS COSTS, IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FROM MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ON

"IT IS IN LINE WITH OUR POLICY OF BEING AS OPEN AS POSSIBLE THE ACP, AND WE SHALL PUBLISH UPDATED VERSIONS FROM TIME TO TIME SO THAT LEGCO AND THE PUBLIC CAN FOLLOW PROGRESS," MR SIU SAID.

THE TABLE COMPRISES 18 CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AWARDED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITH A TOTAL VALUE (IN MONEY OF THE DAY) OF $18.81 BILLION, WHICH IS $1.98 BILLION BELOW THE TOTAL ESTIMATE FIGURE OF $20.79 BILLION. A TOTAL OF 61 GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS WILL EVENTUALLY LET.

BE

"WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM SOME VERY TIGHT AND COMPETITIVE PRICING OF THE TENDERS. ALONGSIDE THIS THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUT IN PLACE A SYSTEM OF RIGOROUS BUDGETARY CONTROLS OVER COSTS AND PROGRAMMES TO HELP US BUILD THE ACP AT THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE, WITHIN BUDGET, AND ON TIME, MR SIU SAID.

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