1992-03-03
13:49
INFORMATION SERVICES DEPT
852 521 7725
P.01/12
5
To: All Overseas Offices Date: 3 March 1992
MEDIA SUMMARY
From:
Pages:
Media Research Sub-Division, Government Information Services
DIS (Mark Pinkstone, OPRS) Log No.: OPRS/L/
TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1992
OVERVIEW
A mixed beg of news was in the headlines today, including the awarding of the Chek Lap Kok airport terminal project to Mott Corsortium, FCO Minister Lord Caithness' activities in HK, the death of a couple at Whampoa Gardens and of two brother-in-laws at a Tuen Mun construction site. The fourth hearing of the PAC on the cost overrun of the University of Science and Technology was prominently treated. Also given a good run were issues relating to the Budget and taxation reforms, the court ruling on BCCHK and leaded petrol price cut.
CHINESE MEDIA
AIRPORT PROJECT
The award of the master plan for the new airport was widely reported by the media, including pro-China papers. Many reports noted in their headlines that the winning group, the Mott Consortium, comprised heavy British interest. A number of papers carried colour pictures of the design of the Airport Master Plan. In the front-page lead, the Commercial Daily headlined that the winning design by a British consortium was the most expensive bid on the shortlist.
Unveiling the design at a press conference, PAA chief executive Richard Allen said that cost overrun faced by the University of Science end Technology would not occur in the new airport project. The Government would set up an independent monitoring group to oversee the project. Mr Allen said that the authority would closely monitor the building cost of the new airport to prevent cost overrun. Some papers noted that the consortium was involved in the HK Bank, project which had seen serious cost overruns. However, an official of the consortium contended that it was inappropriate to compare the HK Bank project with the new airport project.
The plan was released to the Airport Consultative Committee at a special meeting yesterday. An official of the consortiuim, Tsui Tang, expected that there would be no cost overrun on the terminal building. A member of the committee, Victor Sit, expressed fears that the airport might cost $10 billion more than the original estimate as a result of a wider distance between its two runways, the media reported. Mr Allen said that the wider distance was needed to meet the minimum international requirement for the independent operation of two runways.
Member Wan Shek-lun urged PAA to ensure that cost overruns would not happen.
SES Anson Chan welcomed the release of the plan, saying that this represented the successful completion of a significant first stage in the development of the new airport, several papers reported. NAPCO Director Rafael Hui said that said that it was unlikely that the Government would overspend on the airport project, the HK Commercial Daily reported. Legco member Samuel Wong wondered why PAA had chosen an overseas architect in the airport design as there were many good local architects, the HK Economic Journal reported. Speaking on R-3 this morning, Richard Allen defended the decision on the award. rejected suggestions that the decision was to give British companies their last big pay day in the run-up to 1997.
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