-
11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993
"NONE OF THESE BENEFITS CAN BE REALISED UNLESS CT9 GOES AHEAD, AS PLANNED, ON TSING YI, WE WILL THEREFORE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING CT9 FROM CONCEPT AND DESIGN THROUGH TO REALITY," MR SIU SAID.
TURNING TO THE NEW AIRPORT, MR SIU SAID CONFIDENTIALITY HAD TO BE PRESERVED FOR THE TALKS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE THE BEST ENVIRONMENT FOR MAKING PROGRESS, BUT ADDED THAT THERE COULD BE NO SECRET DEAL BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD ΤΟ APPROVE THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS ON WHATEVER FINANCIAL PLAN WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY AGREED.
HE ADDED THAT THE AIRPORT BILL WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THE CHINESE SIDE WHEN IT WAS BEING DRAFTED AS REQUIRED BY THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ADEQUATE TIME ΤΟ CONSIDER THE BILL WHEN IT WAS INTRODUCED TO THE COUNCIL.
AS FOR THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW AIRPORT, MR SIU SAID SITE PREPARATION WORK AT CHEK LAP KOK WAS PROCEEDING WELL AS 320 HECTARES OR OVER 25 PER CENT OF THE WHOLE SITE HAD ALREADY BEEN FORMED.
THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY WAS ALSO WELL ADVANCED IN ITS DESIGN WORK FOR THE PASSENGER TERMINAL AND IN ITS DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN KEY FACILITIES TO BE PRIVATELY FUNDED SUCH AS THOSE FOR AIR CARGO AND AVIATION FUEL.
TAKING THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME AS A WHOLE, CONTRACTS WORTH SOME $45 BILLION HAD BEEN AWARDED ALL WITHIN BUDGET ESTIMATES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, HE SAID.
MR SIU SAID THE PORT AND AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HONG KONG WAS PLANNING AND BUILDING WOULD NOT JUST SERVE HONG KONG BUT ALSO SOUTHERN CHINA.
HE ADDED THAT PLANNING FOR MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS WERE NOT CARRIED OUT IN ISOLATION BUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT NEEDS AND VIEWS FROM THOSE IN SOUTHERN CHINA.
"AS WE TAKE FORWARD OUR PLANS FOR THE PORT, THE NEW AIRPORT AND OTHER KEY ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE, WE KEEP IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY ITS PART AS THE GATEWAY TO SOUTHERN CHINA, PROVIDING AN EFFICIENT CONDUIT FOR AN EVER-LASTING FLOW OF GOODS, SERVICES AND PEOPLE BETWEEN CHINA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD, MR SIU SAID.
"
/12