**************************************************************
A government inter-departmental group has met today (June 8) to discuss problems faced by Tai O residents in transport, communication and water supply and has come up with a series of measures to help residents to restore a normal life as soon as possible.
The government departments involved the Transport and Housing Bureau, Home Affairs Department, Transport Department, Highways Department, Water Supplies Department, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority, and the Police.
The Government was very concerned about the plight of Tai O residents and would spare no efforts in assisting them to return to a normal life, a government spokesman said.
The Transport Department (TD) had arranged special transport services for the residents, including strengthening ferry services between Tai O and Tung Chung, and increasing the frequencies of rail and bus services. It had liaised with operators to arrange 10 extra ferry sailings between Tai O and Tung Chung in week days starting Tuesday, including 7 departing from Tai O and 3 from Tung Chung. The first sailing departing from Tai O will be at 6.30 am and the last at 10.30 pm. For Sundays and public holidays, ferry services from Tai O and Tung Chung will be increased by 7 sailings respectively.
"Before road access can fully return to normal, we will ensure that the provision of marine transport services will be adequate to meet Tai O residents' outbound transport needs," the spokesman said.
The Government had already cleared the blockage on North Lantau Highway last night and expected to have most of the debris removed from Tung Chung Road tonight to allow the road to be reopened for two-way traffic with one lane. Damage to a section of Keung Shan Road near Shum Wat Road is serious and will take longer to fix. Following an initial assessment, the Government will try its best to reopen the section partially for traffic in about two weeks.
On water supply to Tai O, the Water Supplies Department expected that the current suspension could be partially lifted tomorrow at 1 am. Before a full resumption is available, the department will continue to supplement supply by deploying a tanker to Tai O.
Thanks to the coordination of the Office of the Telecommunications Authority and emergency repair works by the operator, fixed line telephone services have been restored in Tai O, whereas mobile services will resume gradually.
The Home Affairs Department's Emergency Coordination Centre has been in operation since yesterday to help residents in need. The department will continue to keep close contact with the Tai O Rural Committee and the Islands District Council to address residents' concern.
Other government departments, including the Police, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Drainage Services Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department, also worked together to address security, hygiene, drainage and slope safety problems to reduce the impacts on Tai O residents.
Ends/Sunday, June 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 22:09
NNNN
Windows Media format
Flash format