1990-11-01 01:23 Q.1.5
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**I*** IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE METROPLAN WILL BENEFIT," MR BARNES SAID.
FROM WHICH THE
IN SUMMING UP THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID THERE WAS NOTHING "MAGIC" ABOUT THE 1997 TARGET DATE FOR BUILDING THE AIRPORT.
"THE VIEW THAT THE AIRPORT MUST BE BUILT IN THE PERIOD OF THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION FORMS NO PART OF GOVERNMENT'S THINKING.
THE
TWO FACTORS WERE THE VEED TO BUILD THE AIRPORT AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE BECAUSE OF THE GROWING CONGESTION AT KAI TAK AND ON THE THE BEST ADVICE AT THE TIME, SEVEN YEARS WAS THE SHORTEST PERIOD NECESSARY FOR COMPLETION OF THE CORE PROJECTS.
THE CORE PROJECTS INCLUDED ONE RUNWAY AT CHEK LAP KOK, THE NORTH LANTAU EXPRESSWAY, THE LANTAU FIXED CROSSING AND THE WEST KOWLOON EXPRESSWAY.
SIR DAVID SAID THE DECISION TO BUILD THE AIRPORT WAS NOT A SUDDEN ONE AS THE LONG TERM NEED FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT WAS DEFINED IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES.
"OVER THE INTERVENING PERIOD, THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXHAUSTIVELY REVIEWED FROM EVERY ANGLE: FROM FORECAST OF DEMAND, THROUGH LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, TO COST AND THE DISBENEFITS OF DOING NOTHING. THE DECISION IN OCTOBER 1989 COULD HARDLY BE DESCRIBED AS SURPRISE.
BRIEFINGS FOR MANY EMINENT VISITORS WERE ALSO GIVEN LONG BEPORE THE DECISION
PROCEED WAS ANNOUNCED. THIS INCLUDED A GROUP OF SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM THE MAINLAND WHO WERE GIVEN A FULL PRESENTATION ON PADS IN MARCH 1989.
SIR DAVID POINTED OUT THAT THE TRADITIONAL HONG KONG STYLE OF CONSULTATION FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS HAD BEEN FOLLOWED.
IF
THE ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF CONSULTATION FOLLOWED IN SOME OTHER PLACES WHICH TNVOLVES FORMAL PUBLIC INQUIRIES COULD HAVE SEVERE PENALTIES APPLIED IN HONG KONG.
NOT
THE
THE CHIEF SECRETARY CITED THE MUNICH AIRPORT, WHICH WAS STILI FINISHED AFTER A DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN IN 1969 TO PROCEED WITHI PROJECT; AND THE STANSTED AIRPORT IN THE UK WHICH HAD BEEN ARGUED ABOUT SINCE 1964 AND WAS NOT DUE TO OPEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR.
"SOMEHOW THAT STYLE OF DOING THINGS DOESN'T QUITE SEEM TO FIT INTO HONG KONG'S 'GET UP AND GO'
SIR DAVID SAID.
IMAGE,
H
TIME: 21:16:46
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