XN000022-1993-09-03 — Page 11

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

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"AS WE DID IN PAST CASES, THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH BEST SUIT THE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF HONG KONG AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL BUILD AND OPERATE THE NEW TERMINAL FACILITIES.

"EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT IN THE HONG KONG CONTEXT, THIS ARRANGEMENT WORKS WELL. OUR ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE CONFIRMS THE VALUE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR," HE SAID.

TRADING

MR SIU SAID HONG KONG WAS NOW THE WORLD'S 10TH LARGEST ENTITY AND CONTINUED TO BE THE WORLD'S LARGEST PORT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CONTAINERS HANDLED.

FI

GROWTH CONTINUES TO BE STRONG. THE MOST RECENT FIGURES SUGGEST A GROWTH IN THROUGHPUT IN THE ORDER OF 18 PER CENT BY YEAR'S END," НЕ SAID.

TT

"BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE, HE ADDED. "WE EXPECT OUR ECONOMY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AS WILL OUR TRADE. REGIONAL BUSINESS WILL CONTINUE TO GO TO LOCATIONS WITH EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT FACILITIES.'

IF

"WE MUST THEREFORE NOT SIT ON OUR LAURELS. WE MUST MAINTAIN THE PUSH TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES AND STANDARDS TO MEET THE NEW AND EVER- CHANGING DEMANDS AND TO MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE," HE SAID.

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ALTERNATIVE LORRY PARKING SPACES FOUND

* * * * *

ENDEAVOURS ΤΟ FIND

THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE ITS BEST ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR LORRY PARKING IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT IN THE SAID TODAY PAST TWO MONTHS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT (FRIDAY).

THE NUMBER OF GOODS VEHICLES USING THE 200-SPACE VEHICLE PARK WHICH WAS CLOSED AT THE END OF JULY WAS ABOUT 150.

AT PRESENT, UP TO ABOUT 330 LORRIES, INCLUDING ABOUT 30 DANGEROUS GOODS VEHICLES, ARE USING THE 400 SPACES OF ANOTHER VEHICLE PARK THAT IS DUE TO

BY MID-SEPTEMBER TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING.

CLOSE

AND WAS

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE PROJECT CONSORTIUM HAD ALREADY GEARED UP TO START WORK

REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT WITHIN 48 MONTHS.

ANY FURTHER DELAYS CAUSED BY A DEFERRED VEHICLE PARK WOULD AFFECT THE COMPLETION OF THIS FACILITY.

THE

HANDING OVER OF

IMPORTANT TRANSPORT

SINCE THE END OF JULY, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS, IN CO-ORDINATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND DRIVERS' REPRESENTATIVES, IDENTIFIED ABOUT 490 PARKING SPACES WHICH ARE SUITABLE FOR USE BY LORRIES.

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