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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1994
TRANSCRIPT OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S Q AND A SESSION
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION AFTER THE OPENING OF THE CARITAS BAZAAR AT FA HUI PLAYGROUND TODAY (SUNDAY):
QUESTION:
JUST ONE THING, BOTH THE LIBERAL PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE EXPRESSED RESERVATIONS ON WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THE 23 BILLION INJECTION INTO THE AIRPORT RAILWAY SHOULD BE GIVEN IN ONE GO. SO IS THE GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO, YOU KNOW - THE FUNDING STAGES?
FS:
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IN
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WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE ANY PROBLEM. THINK IT'S A NATURAL REACTION THAT SOME POLITICIANS WILL ASK WHETHER THE MONEY CAN BE SPLIT UP - AS WE DID FOR THE PAA, OF COURSE. I THINK ONCE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM HOW QUICKLY THE MONEY IS NEEDED FOR THE AIRPORT RAILWAY AND HOW MANY CONTRACTS ARE JUST, WAITING TO BE SIGNED ONCE THE MONEY IS APPROVED, I THINK THAT THEY WILL AGREE. BUT THEY ARE ENTIRELY RIGHT TO RAISE THE QUESTION AND IT IS FOR US PERSUADE THEM THAT WE'VE GOT THE ANSWERS. SO OF COURSE THERE WILL BRIEFINGS FOR LEGCO
BUT THERE WILL BE A FULL PAPER FOR LEGCO
WE CERTAINLY HOPE TO GET THE MONEY APPROVED LATER THIS MONTH. WE HAVEN'T DECIDED EXACTLY WHICH FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING BUT CERTAINLY IT SHOULD BE LATER THIS MONTH.
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BE
I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THE RAILWAY, OF COURSE, BECAUSE IT SERVES NOT JUST THE AIRPORT BUT IT SERVES THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY WHICH LIVES ALONG KOWLOON ALL THE WAY TO KWAI CHUNG AND TSUEN WAN, SO THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR IT.
QUESTION: KNOW?
BUT HOW MUCH WILL THEY NEED? HOW MUCH MONEY, YOU
FS:
THE 23 BILLION IS ALL NEEDED WITHIN THE SPACE OF ABOUT TWO OR THREE MONTHS. I DON'T HAVE THE PRECISE AREA BUT IT IS QUITE A SHORT PERIOD. THE CONTRACTS ALREADY OUTSTANDING WILL USE UP THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY, SO I THINK ONCE THE FIGURES ARE PUT TO THEM THERE WILL BE NO PROBLEM.
QUESTION:
BUT DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE ANY CONTINGENCY PLAN IF THEY DON'T APPROVE THE MONEY?
FS:
AND DISCUSS
NO, WE
DON'T HAVE ANY CONTINGENCY PLAN. WE WILL GO LEGCO MEMBERS ARE PERFECTLY RATIONAL AND REASONABLE PEOPLE - I THINK WHEN WE HAVE TALKED TO THEM, I AM VERY HOPEFUL THEY WILL APPROVE. THEY ARE RIGHT TO RAISE THE QUESTION AND IT IS FOR US TO ANSWER IT.
QUESTION:
STEVEN POON SAID THERE SHOULD BE WAYS FOR LEGCO TO MONITOR THE RUNNING OF THE MTRC (INAUDIBLE) FOR A LONG TIME
INAUDIBLE).
FS:
YES. OF COURSE LEGCO DOES MONITOR AND WILL MONITOR ALL THE PROJECTS FOR WHICH THEY APPROVE FUNDS. AND THE MTRC AND THE PAA PURLISH THEIR ANNUAL ACCOUNTS; WE GIVE BRIEFINGS WE ACTUALLY GIVE A QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT TO LEGCO ON THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME, SO THERE IS NOTHING HIDDEN THERE, IT IS ENTIRELY TRANSPARENT AND IF THEY WANT TO KNOW MORE, THEN WE WILL TELL THEM MORE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
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