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A more ambitious rural improvement works programme will be introduced in the current financial year to capitalise and carry on the success of the 10-year Rural Planning and Improvement Strategy (RPIS) Minor Works Programme which will run its course next year, the Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Shelley Lau said today (Saturday).

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the completion of the latest RPIS Minor Works Project at Wong Chung Yeung Village, Sha Tin, Mrs Lau said : "The new Rural Public Works (RPW) Programme will succeed the RPIS Minor Works Programme and take on $100 million worth of projects in its first year 1999/2000. The overlap between the two programmes is to allow all RPIS projects to be completed without any hindrance to the continuing environmental improvement works which will be carried forward under the programme."

Mrs Lau said : "I took considerable pride in the significant rural environmental improvements achieved under the RPIS Minor Works Programme which the Home Affairs Department (HAD) took over from the New Territory Development Department in November 1994. And we are confident of meeting the $1.6 billion, 10-year expenditure target by March next year."

"The RPIS projects have certainly contributed considerably to a better quality of life in the rural areas. Their popularity has prompted the Government to allocate $250 million annually to HAD to undertake projects that do not involve resumption. This was a significantly larger amount compared to the current $160 million handled by HAD annually for the same purpose. This is also proof positive that the Government is responsive to the needs of its citizens, however obscurely located they might be," she added.

Mrs Lau noted that 610 RPIS projects have been completed by HAD at a cost of $940 million with another $260 million worth of projects still underway.

Turning to the Wong Chuk Yeung Village RPIS Minor Works Project completed in March this year, Mrs Lau said : "The project has taken three years to complete as it was decided to implement the works in three phases in order to minimise inconvenience to the public. But the result of the $6.5 million project has been well worth the effort."

"It has involved the widening and reconstruction of an existing van track, slope works and construction of passing bays for vehicles and associated drainage systems. They all add up to better flood prevention and a more convenient and safer access to the village not just for the indigenous Hakka villagers who had lived there for over 300 years, but for outside visitors and residents in the area," Mrs Lau said.

She also revealed that since 1994, a total of 28 projects costing about $58 million have been completed in Sha Tin alone, while another six projects worth about $35 million will commence work in this financial year, on top of four projects already in progress.

Paying tribute to members of the Provisional District Board, representatives of the Rural Committees, and other community leaders for their support, Mrs Lau praised them "for setting examples of what can be achieved by cooperating with the Government with the community's best interests at heart."

"I have no doubt that this kind of cooperative attitude can bring about changes for the better in the development of our rural and urban areas, so that both urban and rural residents alike can benefit from an improved environment," Mrs Lau said.

Mrs Lau's remarks were echoed by the Director of Planning, Mr Bosco Fung, who co-officiated the ceremony.

Mr Fung said in charting its development strategy in the rural areas, the Planning Department takes into account the related ancillary facilities, such as van tracks, footpaths, emergency access, water supply and the overall layout of the area to ensure that the best features of rural life are preserved while modern conveniences are introduced.

Mrs Lau also announced that HAD will launch the "Most Beautified Village in New Territories Contest" before the end of this year to promote interest in the history, tradition and culture in village life. The special characteristics and unique features of some villages will also be recognised in the exercise.

Other guests present at the ceremony included the Chairman of Sha Tin Provisional District Board, Mr Choy Kan-pui; the Chairman of Sha Tin Rural Committee, Mr Lam Kwok-yin; District Officer for Sha Tin, Miss Wong Mei-lin; village representative of Wong Chuk Yeung Village, Mr Tai Sun-you and local community leaders.

End/Saturday, April 17, 1999

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