XN000022-1993-08-12 — Page 9

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1993

TO

DESIGN,

CONSTRUCT,

"THEREFORE, ITS RESPONSIBILITIES ARE OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE SEWERAGE, SEWAGE TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL, LAND STORMWATER DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE TERRITORY.

AND

"THE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO A PROGRAMME OF WORKS TO UPGRADE THESE SYSTEMS TO MAKE HONG KONG FREE OF MARINE WATER POLLUTION AND FLOODS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF ABOUT $20 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS," HE NOTED.

POINTING OUT THAT DRAINAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG, MR SIU SAID PROOF OF THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM'S GENERAL EFFECTIVENESS LAY IN THE FACT THAT THE STREETS WERE FREE OF SEWAGE AND STORMWATER DRAINS FILLED RAPIDLY IN HEAVY RAIN.

"THE MAJOR STEPS TAKEN IN RECENT TIMES HAVE BEEN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SEWERAGE MASTER PLANS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TERRITORY TO STRENGTHEN THE SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM.

"A STRATEGIC SEWAGE DISPOSAL SCHEME AIMING AT AN OCEANIC DISPOSAL OF TREATED SEWAGE, AWAY FROM OUR HARBOUR AND BATHING WATER, IS NOW BEING DEVELOPED FOR IMPLEMENTATION COMMENCING IN 1994.

"A MASSIVE DRAINAGE SCHEME ΤΟ ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS FLOODING IN THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES IS NOW IN HAND,' HE SAID.

OF

MR SIU POINTED OUT THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WAS ENDEAVOURING TO ROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES POSSIBLE.

DRAINAGE MATTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, BY PROCESSING THE APPLICATIONS FOR DRAINAGE DEVELOPMENTS PROMPTLY, "HE CONCLUDED.

"OUT PLEDGE IS TO EXPEDITIOUSLY ATTEND TO PUBLIC COMPLAINTS

CLEARING BLOCKED CONNECTIONS

ON DRAINS AND FOR PRIVATE

EXTERNAL TRADE STATISTICS FOR JUNE

* * *

RELEASED

BY

THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) DETAILED STATISTICS ON EXTERNAL TRADE WITH BREAKDOWN COUNTRY/TERRITORY AND COMMODITY FOR JUNE THIS YEAR.

MILLION, VALUE OF BASIS

THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS IN JUNE 1993 AT

+

$67,041 SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 13% OVER JUNE 1992, WHEREAS THE DOMESTIC EXPORTS, $18,509 MILLION, DECREASED BY 12% ON THE SAME OF COMPARISON.

COMPARING JUNE 1993 WITH JUNE 1992, THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS CHINA, SINGAPORE,

ΤΟ GERMANY, JAPAN, THE UNITED KINGDOM, STATES AND FRANCE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY, BY 28%, 17%, 17%, 17%, 16%,

THE UNITED 12% AND 11% RESPECTIVELY. THAT TO CANADA INCREASED SLIGHTLY BY 2.9%.

HOWEVER, THE VALUE OF RE-EXPORTS TO TAIWAN AND THE REPUBLIC KOREA DECREASED BY 19% AND 1.3% RESPECTIVELY.

OF

THE CHANGES IN THE VALUE OF HONG KONG'S RE-EXPORTS TO MAJOR DESTINATIONS ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 1.

THE 10

/THE VALUE