TNAG-0534-FCO40-629-UK-aid-to-Hong-Kong-Polytechnic-and-technical-institutions-1975 — Page 8

PC(73) Minutes 15

Present:

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

PROJECTS COMMITTEE

Minutes of Meeting held on 17 October 1973

Mr R B M King (Chairman)

Mr R S Porter

Mr R H Belcher

Mr J Mark

Mr P H R Marshall

Mr D L Pearson

Mr D Williams

Mr R O Carter (Secretary)

In attendance:

Mr I H Harris

Mr D S Foster

For PC(73)29

Mr B M U Bennell

solelii

Mr RJ Richardson

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEET ING PC(73) Minutes 14

The

1 Mr Williens said that following the last meeting Mir Mark had held a meeting with the Hong Kong and Indian Ocean Department to discuss the way to proceed with the proposals for assistance to the Hong Kong Polytechnic. It had been agreed that books could be supplied up to a limit of £38,000 and that the rest of the proposals in the original submission PG(73)28 would be looked at again following a visit to Hong Kong by the Technical Education Adviser or someone from TETOO. question of the £400,000 for Technical Institutes would also be reviewed by the Adviser when in Hong Kong. Mr Rae had been asked to write to HIOD explaining the conditions for the supply of the books to the Polytechnic and to reserve the position as to whether the proposals for assisting the Technical Institutes should be put to the Committee in due course. The Chairman said the point should also be emphasized to the Department by Mr Rae that the expenditure on the two proposals, ie on the Hong Kong Polytechnic and on the four Institutes should not run concurrently.

SOUTH VIETNAM WATER SUPPLY SCHFMB

PC(73)29

2. In introducing the paper Mr Harris said that new capital aid was not involved. The proposal would utilise the balance of an existing £1 million pledge. The PS had identified rural electrification and water supply as providing the best scopa for assistance to Vietnen. À rural electrification scheme was already underway. The Department was inviting approval of the project on the basis that UK aid would be used only for off-shore costs, representing about two thirds of the total cost, although some might be locally finenged. The other third covered local costa which would be met by the Vietnamese Government. Subject to approval the initial work should start by December to take advantage of the dry season from then to April. In answer to a question he said the demand to be met was mainly fron domestic consumption but there was the hope of increased demand from local industry,

3. Mr Porter thought a careful analysis had been provided including a useful discussion of the iterative sources of mater supply. He accepted the conclusion that groundwater supply presented too great a risk of insufficient potable water. He said the question of the right charge for water supplied was always difficult and it was pere to find economic cost charged. The estimates of demand seemed reasonable, and an acceptable rate of return was forecast.

4.

Bennell said it was a straightforward project technically. The main technical point had been which source of supply to use and he thought the correct

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