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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1988
"THEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT DESPITE SITE CONSTRAINTS, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE THE AIRPORT FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE FURTHER GROWTH.
IN RELATION
"THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ENHANCEMENT TO THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM, THE EXPANSION OF AIRCRAFT PARKING FACILITIES AND MEASURES TO OPTIMISE USAGE OF THE SINGLE RUNWAY SYSTEM.
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MR JACOBS NOTED THAT AIRPORT DEVELOPMENTS CONSTITUTED A SUBJECT OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG, AND SEVERAL MEMBERS HAD COMMENTED ON THE NEED TO IMPROVE FACILITIES AT ΚΑΙ TAK AND TO CONSTRUCT A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
"WE MUST, OF COURSE, AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO SAID.
ENSURE THAT HONG KONG HAS THE NECESSARY UNDERPIN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HE
BUT HE STRESSED OUT THAT A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT WOULD ВЕ THE BIGGEST SINGLE PROJECT EVER UNDERTAKEN IN HONG KONG, AND IT WOULD AFFECT HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT WELL INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.
"WE HAVE THEREFORE EMBARKED UPON A WELL CO-ORDINATED SERIES OF DETAILED STUDIES TO ENABLE US TO SITE AND FUND THE AIRPORT TO HONG KONG'S GREATEST ADVANTAGE," MR JACOBS SAID.
STUDIES TO EVALUATE THE RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF SITING A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK OR IN THE WESTERN HARBOUR AREA WERE PROCEEDING WELL AND ON SCHEDULE.
"THE VARIOUS STUDIES WILL BE DRAWN TOGETHER FOR EVALUATION BY THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1989.
"WE SHOULD THEN HAVE ALL THE NECESSARY FACTS AND FIGURES TO ENABLE US TO TAKE A DECISION BEFORE THE END OF 1989," HE SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED TO BE SATISFIED THAT THE PROJECT WAS FINANCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY VIABLE.
THERE SHOULD BE AMPLE SCOPE FOR PRIVATE BUT MUCH WOULD DEPEND ON THE FINANCING INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ADOPTED.
SECTOR PARTICIPATION, STRATEGIES AND THE
"WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS, BUT GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TASK AND ITS FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ECONOMY, IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT WE EXERCISE CARE. NO ONE WOULD EXPECT OTHERWISE, MR
JACOBS ADDED.
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