MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1994
"OUR PLAN TO CALL THE NEW BODY THE AIRPORT CORPORATION IS A CHANGE FROM THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY TITLE CONTAINED IN THE MOU, BUT WE BELIEVE THIS TITLE CONVEYS THE ROLE OF THE CORPORATION MORE ACCURATELY.
"IT IS ALSO IN LINE WITH THE NAME OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION, AS WELL AS THAT OF THE MTRC WHICH WAS ALSO ORIGINALLY CALLED AN AUTHORITY
PROVISIONAL THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY
AUTHORITY.
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"IN HONG KONG, THE TITLE 'AUTHORITY' IS ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND HOSPITAL AUTHORUTY, WHICH ALSO HAVE SOME CONTROLLING OR REGULATORY FUNCTIONS. BUT ON THE AIRPORT, THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF WILL HAVE THE REGULATORY FUNCTION, WHILE THE CORPORATION WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TASKS OF DEVELOPING AND MANAGING THE AIRPORT, MR SIU SAID.
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THE CONSULTATION PAPER SAYS THAT CREATING A CORPORATION IS IN LINE WITH A GENERAL WORLDWIDE TREND OF OPTIMISING THE COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES IN AIRPORTS.
THE COMMERCIAL APPROACH WHICH A CORPORATION CAN TAKE ENHANCES REVENUES WHICH HELPS TO REDUCE COSTS TO THE TAXPAYER AS THE AIRPORT OWNER AND INCREASES RETURNS ON THE GOVERNMENT'S INVESTMENT.
THE PAPER ALSO SETS OUT THE WIDE RANGE OF GOVERNMENT AND OTHER CONTROLS WHICH LIMIT THE WAY IN WHICH THE CORPORATION MAY ACT. THESE CONTROLS ARE SET OUT IN THE BILL ITSELF, AS WELL AS IN A SERIES OF OTHER LAWS, AGREEMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS SUCH AS THE AIRPORT LAND GRANT AND AERODROME LICENCE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONSULTATION PERIOD WOULD LAST FROM JANUARY 3 TO FEBRUARY 28. THE WHITE BILL HAD BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE FORM OF A BOOKLET, WHICH ALSO CONTAINED A CONSULTATION PAPER AND A SUMMARY OF THE BILL IN LAYMAN'S TERMS.
COPIES OF THE BOOKLET CAN BE COLLECTED FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AND THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRES OF THE VARIOUS DISTRICT OFFICES.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND THEIR VIEWS IN WRITING TO THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, NEW AIRPORT DIVISION, SECOND FLOOR, MAIN WING, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.
ALL COMMENTS WOULD BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BEFORE DECISIONS WERE TAKEN ON ANY REVISIONS TO THE BILL.
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