SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST JUNE 12th 73
..:
WKK 21/4
HK begins quest for
top tube man
By PETER LOKE
Hongkong has begun a worldwide search for a top administrator to fill the post of first Chairman of the Mass Transit Authority at a salary of about $500,000 a year.
The Steering Group. appointed by the Government to study the financial feasibility of the underground railway system and contractual procedures for the successful tenderers or consortium, has already compiled dossiers on experienced chief executives all over the world capable of filling the post.
Informed sources said the demands created by the job in terms of high-level managerial capabilities, and responsibilities would mean that the appointment would not be advertised but conducted through confidential negotia- tions.
It is understood feelers would be channelled to those selected either directly or through respective Governments of the prospective candidates' domicile within the next month.
Sources said the appointment would form an important progressive stage towards the actual construction of Hongkong's $10,000 million tube.
In conjunction with the appointment of the Chairman of the Authority which would be a quasi-Government organisation but given full autonomous financial and managerial functions the Government would also be announcing the composition of the rest of the Board of Governors.
Informed sources said this exercise should be completed within the next three months to facilitate the Authority setting up operations and carrying-out its first function in awarding the tube contract under the single- consortium or multi-tender: system:
Meanwhile, next week the Steering Group will begin its final series of talks with the four principal consortia the Japanese
Mitsubishi
group.
represented here by Jardine's; the British General Electric consortium, represented here by Hutchison; the Hongkong Metro Constructors, (Anglo- French-German interests), represented here by Zung Fu; and the Italian consortium, Inter Metro.
The talks will cover a period of two weeks after which the Steering Group will compile its report for the Governor-in- Council on the way in which the underground railway system should be built, either by one package award to a consortium or multi-tenders to multi-national companies.
The decision, said the sources, should be announced at the end of July.
However, it was explained that while the award for the mass transit system would not be made for another month, the project had not in any way been affected by what appeared. to be a delay in the final decision.
was
Sources said already extensive ground work progressively being initiated. This included providing a network of roads to facilitate the construction of the tube, test tunnels being dug and final construction blueprints and draft plans.