XN000022-1995-03-21 — Page 3

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Lau appointed chief of Royal Observatory

The Government announced today (Tuesday) that Mr Lau Chi-kwan, Robert, had been appointed Director of the Royal Observatory with effect from May 26 this

year.

Mr Lau will succeed Mr Patrick Sham who will be retiring from the Civil Service at the age of 60.

The following is the brief biography of Mr Lau and Mr Sham:

Mr Lau Chi-kwan, Robert, M

Mr Lau is aged 53. He joined the Hong Kong Civil Service as a Scientific Officer in 1966 and was promoted to Senior Scientific Officer in 1978 and then to Assistant Director of the Royal Observatory in 1984. He has acted as Director of the Royal Observatory on a number of occasions.

Mr Sham Pak, Patrick, ISO, JP

Mr Sham joined the Civil Service as a Scientific Officer in 1958. He was promoted to Senior Scientific Officer in 1974, and to Assistant Director of the Royal Observatory in 1978. He has been Director of the Royal Observatory since 1984. He was awarded an ISO in 1988.

End/Tuesday, March 21, 1995

Land fund of future SARG

In response to media enquiries on the Land Fund of the future Special Administrative Region Government (SARG), a Government spokesman said today (Tuesday):

"The Medium Range Forecast is a five-year forecast of government's revenue, expenditure and fiscal reserves. It is a planning tool to assist with the determination of budgetary policy.