THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1989
AIRPORT. PORT PROJECT IN LINE WITH HK'S DEVELOPMENT: CS
THE PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (PADS) PROJECT 18 VERY MUCH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG AND FOLLOWS ON FROM WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMY TO DEVELOP AND FLOURISH, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF THE PADS PROJECT, SIR DAVID SAID THAT WHILE THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN SPENDING VAST SUMS OF MONEY TO IMPROVE KAI TAK AIRPORT, HIGHWAY SYSTEMS AND PORT FACILITIES, THE NEW DEVELOPMENT WAS A QUANTUM LEAP INSOFAR AS PORT AND AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT WAS CONCERNED.
"IT IS NOT SIMPLY AS A WAY OF BOOSTING CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THAT IS VERY MUCH INCIDENTAL TO THE REAL NEED TO DEVELOP OUR AIRPORT AND OUR PORT, HE SAID.
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THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT THAT KAI TAK AIRPORT WAS ALREADY APPROACHING SATURATION POINT, AND IN THE YEARS AHEAD IT WOULD BE INCREASINGLY CONGESTED DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME TO EXPAND ITS FACILITIES.
KAI TAK, HE SAID, WAS ALREADY THE SECOND BUSIEST AIRPORT IN ASIA AFTER NARITA AIRPORT IN TOKYO.
LAST YEAR SOME 15.3 MILLION PASSENGERS PASSED THROUGH KAI AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 20 PER CENT OVER 1987.
TAK,
"ON A LONG TERM FORECAST GROWTH OF ONLY FIVE PER CENT PER YEAR, WE WILL HAVE 50 MILLION PASSENGERS BY THE YEAR 2011," SIR DAVID NOTED.
POSSIBILITY OF RUNWAY OR
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD LOOKED AT THE EXTENDING THE LIFE OF KAI TAK, EITHER BY BUILDING A SECOND BY A VARIETY OF OTHER MEASURES.
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"AND THE FIRST CONCLUSION THAT WE'VE COME то IS THAT REALLY THERE IS NO WAY IN WHICH KAI TAK CAN MEET OUR NEEDS BEYOND 1996, HE HAID.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT IF A NEW AIRPORT WAS NOT BUILT, THE ECONOMIC DISBENEFITS OF LIVING WITH KAI TAK AND THE CONGESTION WOULD AMOUNT TO SOME $100 BILLION BETWEEN 1996 AND 2010.
"THAT WOULD RESULT FROM LOST TOURIST TRAFFIC, FOREGONE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND SO ON," HE ADDED.
SIR DAVID SAID HONG KONG ALSO NEEDED TO DEVELOP A NEW PORT BECAUSE ON A LONG-TERM FORECAST GROWTH WHICH WAS A FAIRLY MODEST EIGHT PER CENT PER ANNUM, THERE WOULD BE A FIVE-FOLD INCREASE IN THE CAPACITY REQUIRED BY THE YEAR 2011.
/"KHAI CHUNG,