XN000022-1982-12-06 — Page 9

MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1982

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MR SO REVEALED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD APPOINTED A WORKING PARTY TO LOOK INTO PARKING PROBLEMS AND AT THE SAME TIME HAD EMBARKED ON A POLICY TO PROVIDE MORE OFF-STREET PARK ING SPACES.

HE SAID TWO ADDITIONAL MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS, ONE IN KWAI FONG AND THE OTHER IN TSUEN WAN, ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED AND WILL BE READY IN 1983 PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL 1 000 PARKING SPACES.

IN ADDITION, 88 SITES HAVE BEEN RESERVED FOR CAR PARK DEVELOPMENT IN THE HONG KONG OUTLINE PLAN, OF WHICH 24 HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR AN EARLY START.

MR SO POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT THESE PROJECTS CANNOT COMPETE WITH ESSENTIAL SOCIAL SERVICE PROJECTS SUCH AS HOSPITALS, CLINICS, POLICE STATIONS, SCHOOLS AND HIGHWAYS.

+ IN VIEW OF THIS, THE WORKING PARTY ON PARKING SUGGESTED ENTRUSTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. THIS WAS ENDORSED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN AUGUST THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

THE WORKING PARTY'S PROPOSAL HAS TWO FACETS

* TO ENTRUST THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERTAIN SITES

RESERVED ON THE HONG KONG OUTLINE PLAN FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CAR PARKS TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

*

TO TURN OVER ALL PUBLIC MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS, BOTH EXISTING AND FUTURE ONES, TO PRIVATE MANAGEMENT.

MR SO SAID THE BASIC ARGUMENTS FOR ENTRUSTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUTRUE MULTI-STOREY CAR PARKS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE THREE-FOLD:

*

*

THEY CAN BE DEVELOPED MUCH MORE QUICKLY.

THE IR DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RATHER CUMBERSOME AND SOMETIMES TEDIOUS PROCEDURES WHICH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW.

* THEY WILL BE ABLE TO RESPOND MORE READILY TO MARKET

FORCES.

MR SO EXPLAINED THAT AT PRESENT THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING A NUMBER OF OPTIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSAL. THEY ARE:

* SELLING ALL EXISTING CAR PARKS BY PUBLIC TENDER TO

PRIVATE FIRMS.

* LEASING THEM TO PRIVATE FIRMS BY PUBLIC TENDER IN RETURN

FOR A MONTHLY OR ANNUAL RENTAL.

*

TENDERING OUT THE MANAGEMENT OF CAR PARKS TO PRIVATE FIRMS ON A CONTRACT BASIS IN RETURN FOR A PREMIUM, A PREMIUM PLUS A RENTAL, OR ON A REVENUE SHARING BASIS.

+THESE OPTIONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXAMINED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND ONCE A DECISION IS REACHED, PUBLIC TENDER WILL BE CALLED, HE SAID.

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