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Airport Authority Annual Report
Following is a speech by the acting Financial Secretary, Mr Rafael Hui, on the Airport Authority Annual Report, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
In accordance with section 32(5) of the Airport Authority Ordinance, I now table the Airport Authority's Annual Report with its statement of accounts and auditor's report for the year ending 31 March 1996. This is the first Annual Report of the Airport Authority. It also covers the activities of the Provisional Airport Authority before its reconstitution as the Airport Authority on 1 December 1995.
As Members will be able to see from the Annual Report, the Authority has made significant progress in its work in the year under review. Construction of the new airport is on course and within budget. Following the coming into force of the Airport Authority Ordinance on 1 December 1995, the Airport Authority signed the Financial Support Agreement and the Land Grant with the Government. It also successfully completed its first external financing arrangement for HK$8.2 billion. A number of major franchises on air cargo, aircraft catering and aviation fuel supply services have been awarded. Franchises on maintenance services and ramp handling services will be awarded very soon. These remarkable achievements would not have been possible without the hard work and devotion of all members of the Board, the management and all staff of the Authority. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of them.
I would also like to thank Members of this Council for their continuing support for the new airport project. Recently, Members approved funds for the Government facilities required to support the operation of the second runway at the new airport.
In particular I am very grateful to Mr Wong Po Yan, who took over the chairmanship of the Authority when it dropped the word "Provisional" from its name on 1 December 1995. I know very well from my colleagues who are more familiar with the airport project that being Chairman of the Authority is a most challenging and demanding job. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Wong for his dedicated service, and in particular for the time and effort he has put in to promote in the interest of Hong Kong the early commissioning of the second runway at the new airport.