XN000022-1995-03-10 — Page 3

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Govt to spend more on new non-Airport Core Programme projects

The Government intends to start work on 114 new non-Airport Core Programme projects at a total cost of $2.9 billion in 1995-96 to further uplift the Public Works Programme (PWP), the Secretary for Works, Mr James Blake, said today (Friday).

Mr Blake said: "Expenditure on these public works projects outside the Airport Core Programme (ACP) in 1995-96 will be 70 per cent more than that for 1994-95.

"The effort to uplift our performance for the betterment of Hong Kong people is reflected in an 8 per cent increase in the 1995-96 PWP expenditure in real terms, excluding land acquisition and purchase of properties."

In the longer term, Mr Blake said the Government planned to spend $105 billion between 1994 and 1999 on non-ACP capital works.

Major projects due to begin in 1995-96 or after include the Lantau Port Development Phase I, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Tin Shui Wai reserve zone development and the South Tsing Yi Duplicate Bridge.

On the Lantau Port Development, Mr Blake said: "It is important that we should continue our forward planning and implementation of projects to maintain our competitiveness and to meet the growing demand for port facilities."

He noted that port activities in Hong Kong had been growing at an average annual rate of 20 per cent in the past five years. They account for 20 per cent of the GDP in Hong Kong,

"The Lantau Port scheme will be developed progressively in the next few years. It will expand the Western Harbour Anchorage significantly by way of building a 4,300-metre breakwater between Lamma Island and Cheung Chau, and reclamation to provide land for four new container terminals with 17 berths and port related industries, transport infrastructure and marine support services.