he Projects Division had a major success last year in the "IT in Education" and the "Multi-media Learning Centres" projects for the Education Department where it fitted out IT rooms for some 500 schools, and designed and installed computerised multi-media learning centres in over 100 schools. This led to new business from the Quality Education Fund for similar installations in a further 200 schools. The projects have been major revenue boosters for 1999/2000 and the current fiscal year. At the time of writing, the division had also won, through competitive tender, the assignment for the design and project management of audio-visual systems at the new Hong Kong Central Library.

Business continued to grow as a number of projects came to fruition after long deliberation with clients. Customs and Excise Department, for example, has confirmed a project to install a large-scale, X-ray container truck inspection system at the Lok Ma Chau Boundary Crossing, to be completed by 2002, with the division acting as overall project consultant. The division has also been enlisted to participate in the Fire Services Department's third generation mobilising system project.

The Marine Department, subsequent to the completion of a feasibility study, has enlisted the division to undertake the detailed design, tendering and contract supervision of its replacement Vessel Traffic Services System. The new system, incorporating the latest technology, will greatly enhance operational efficiency in the monitoring and control of harbour marine traffic. The division has also taken up consultancy projects for government vehicular tunnels such as the Lion Rock Tunnel and Kai Tak Tunnel on systems such as toll collection, traffic control and surveillance, and tunnel lighting.

Projects in the pipeline include a feasibility study for Transport Department for a trial scheme to convert existing electronic parking metres to accept Mondex, VisaCash or Octopus cards, to minimise usage of the existing disposable cards for environmental reasons. The division has also been studying advanced incinerator technology in Japan and Europe, to prepare for prospective incinerator business.

Over the past few years, the division has successfully expanded its project portfolio with about the same number of staff. Looking ahead, computer and IT applications are an obvious area for growth, whereas traditional business such as tunnels, border traffic controls and parking application systems will continue to expand as further upgrading and renewal take place.