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586
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
categories A, B and C, have we got a commitment from the Government that all our capital works projects will be accorded the priority of category A and will commence in the next three years?
MR. CHIANG SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese): Thank you Mr. KAM for the question. I, as the Chairman of the FIN S/C, have just stated that should the 'One Council One Department' option be adopted, the capital works projects of both the PUC and ProRC will be merged. And I also said that if we have adequate resources, these projects will certainly be carried out as scheduled as far as the PUC is concerned. If the two Municipal Councils are to be scrapped, in relation to the capital works projects, we should inform the Government about the priorities to be accorded to our projects. Personally, I certainly hope that our projects would not be delayed. With regard to the funding arrangements, we will have to discuss with the Finance Committee of LegCo as well as the Government after summer recess as to how funds will be allocated in the next three years. But at present, as the timing is a little awkward, I think that we have to fight for the projects in the endorsed five-year plan for the capital works projects to be carried out as scheduled. I believe that we all agree to fight for that with the Government.
Mr. Daniel To Boon-man (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, I have a question for the Chairman of the FIN S/C. In relation to the last point in his reply, which said that if the 'One Council One Department' option was not adopted, the capital works projects of PUC would be undertaken by the Government, I would like to know the source of this piece of information. Did the Government disclose it to the Chairman of the FIN S/C or is it just a personal belief of the Chairman of the FIN S/C?
MR. CHIANG SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese): Thank you for the question. Maybe I should take this opportunity to tell my colleagues that the Government has not made any commitment on this matter. But as I have just said, no decision has been made as to whether the option of 'One Council One Department' or that of 'Dissolving the Two PMCs' is to be adopted. As the Chairman of the FIN S/C, I of course would like to see that the projects be carried out on time. I think that if those projects are to be incorporated into the Government's Capital Works Programme, we should, in principle, tell the Government the priorities we accord to our own projects and the progress of the capital works projects endorsed by various Select Committees. If we have kept the Government informed and the Government is well aware of such information, I and fellow Members will then endeavour to fight for the capital works projects of this Council to be carried out as scheduled. In principle, if the two Municipal Councils are not to be scrapped, funding will be provided by the Government through normal procedures. I think that we have adequate reserves to carry us through to early next year.
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