XN000022-1994-09-27 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1994

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THIS ENABLED CENTRAL MONITORING OF TRAFFIC CONDITIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE IN YAU MA ТВІ AND THE POLICE'S TRAFFIC HEADQUARTERS IN KOWLOON CITY.

"THE CONSULTANTS WILL DESIGN AND UPGRADE THE SYSTEM INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF ABOUT 40 ADDITIONAL ROADSIDE CAMERAS TO COVER THE WHOLE KOWLOON REGION AND TO PROVIDE INCREASED COVERAGE IN THE WEST AND CENTRAL KOWLOON AREA THAN THAT AT PRESENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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"WITH THE EXPANDED SYSTEM, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE WILL BE ABLE TO CENTRALLY MONITOR THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND MAKE ADJUSTMENT TO THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND ALSO TAKE ACTIONS TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC-RELATED INCIDENTS QUICKLY, HE ADDED.

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THE CONSULTANCY WILL START AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW ROADSIDE CAMERAS WILL START IN JULY 1995 FOR THE SYSTEM TO BE COMPLETED AND IN OPERATION IN JANUARY 1997.

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HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY TO BEGIN NEXT MONTH

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CONDUCTED

A NEW ROUND OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY WILL BE FROM NEXT MONTH TO SEPTEMBER 1995. THE RESULTS WILL BE USED AS AN IMPORTANT BASIS FOR REBASING THE VARIOUS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (CPI) SERIES TO 1994/95.

ANNOUNCING THIS AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (TUESDAY), THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS, MR FREDERICK W H HO, POINTED OUT THAT TWO KINDS OF WORK WERE REQUIRED IN COMPILING CONSUMER PRICE INDICES.

"FIRST, TO CREATE A BASKET OF GOODS AND SERVICES ITEMS THAT HOUSEHOLDS PURCHASE AND ΤΟ DETERMINE A WEIGHTING SYSTEM WHICH REPRESENTS THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF THE ITEMS IN THE BASKET.

"SECOND, TO COLLECT DATA CONTINUOUSLY ON THE PRICE MOVEMENTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES SO THAT MOVEMENTS OF THE MARKET PRICES CAN BE FULLY REFLECTED IN THE PRICE INDICES.

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"INFORMATION ON THE BASKET OF GOODS AND SERVICES ITEMS AND THE WEIGHTING OF THE ITEMS IS TO BE OBTAINED FROM A HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY, HE SAID.

"THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS THAT A NEW ROUND OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY (HES) WILL BE CONDUCTED ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS TO COLLECT UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON THE EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS. THIS PRACTICE CONFORMS WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND PRACTICES.

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THE LAST HES WAS CONDUCTED FROM OCTOBER 1989 TO SEPTEMBER 1990. THE CURRENT CPI SERIES USE 1989/90 AS THE BASE YEAR.

/THE CPI