About 1,000 jobs would be created when work on the Penny's Bay rail link to the Disneyland project began next year, the MTRC said yesterday.
The news came on the eve of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa's Policy Address tomorrow in which 15,000 new jobs may be announced to combat unemployment. An economist said the jobless rate could increase from 4.9 per cent to 5.5 per cent after the Lunar New Year holiday.
Mass Transit Railway Corporation project director Russell Black said yesterday the company was still trying to finalise the project agreement with the Government, even though detailed design work had started. He said construction of the 3.2km railway must start next year so that its completion could coincide with the theme park's opening in 2005.
'There will be about 1,000 new jobs altogether, but not all at the same time. Some will be created at the project design stage and there will be some in civil and mechanical construction,' Mr Black said. 'A project like this also creates jobs for people not working on the site, such as those supplying the equipment, materials and concrete.'
News of the jobs came as speculation mounted that Mr Tung would announce a series of infrastructure projects and a public service improvement initiative tomorrow to create the 15,000 jobs. About 7,000 to 10,000 may be generated from bringing forward the tendering of $5 billion worth of public works contracts, including new schools and landslip prevention work.
This is in addition to continuous demand for building and maintenance workers from the public housing sector. According to the latest official figures, about 31,300 construction workers are unemployed.