XN000022-1984-11-07 — Page 13

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1984

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+PROBABLY THE ADJUSTMENT ALSO REFLECTS THE VIEW OF SOME MANUFACTURERS THAT AFTER THE SURGE IN EXPORTS CONSEQUENT UPON THE RECOVERY FROM THE 1982 RECESSION THE GROWTH RATE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS WILL SLOW DOWN TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE LEVEL.

+NEVERTHELESS, WHILE WE ARE AS YOU HAVE SAID, SIR, ALWAYS VULNERABLE TO EXTERNAL EVENTS, I CERTAINLY SHARE MR WONG PO-YAN'S VIEW THAT IT IS TOO EARLY FOR SERIOUS ANXIETY ABOUT OUR FUTURE EXPORT PERFORMANCE, HE SAID.

ON THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL MONITORING OF THE POWER COMPANIES' ACTIVITIES, MR JACOBS REPORTED THAT THE CONSULTANCY ESTABLISHED TO EXAMINE THE ADEQUACY OF THE MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS HAD NOW SUBMITTED ITS REPORT.

THE REPORT, WHICH CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MONITORING PROCESS, WAS BEING EXAMINED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE INTENTION WAS TO SUBMIT IT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

MR JACOBS SAID HE COULD NOT MAKE FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE CONTENTS OF THE REPORT BEFORE IT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL.

TURNING TO THE HELICOPTER PAD AT FENWICK PIER STREET, HE REPORTED THE SEARCH FOR A SITE FOR HELICOPTER OPERATIONS HAD PROVED TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

IN AN EARLIER LEGCO MEETING, THE HON ALEX WU HAD REFERRED TO AN ASSURANCE BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY THAT THE HELIPAD WOULD CEASE TO OPERATE BY AUGUST 31 NEXT YEAR.

MR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD MADE THIS ASSURANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LIKELY AVAILABILITY OF A NEW SITE FOR A PERMANENT HELIPORT AT THE WAN CHAI FERRY PIER.

+UNFORTUNATELY, IT NOW SEEMS THAT THAT SITE CAN NO LONGER BE USED, HE SAID,

IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PRESENT USERS OF THE FENWICK PIER STREET HELIPAD HAVE REQUESTED THAT ANOTHER EXAMINATION BE MADE OF THE POSSIBLE NOISE IMPACT ON THE ACADEMY CAUSED BY THEIR HELICOPTER OPERATIONS.

+THE HELICOPTER OPERATORS HAVE TOLD ME THAT EVERY POSSIBLE PRECAUTION COULD BE TAKEN SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THE NOISE LEVEL WOULD HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE ACADEMY, OR CERTAINLY NO MORE EFFECT THAN THE CURRENT OR FUTURE AMBIENT NOISE IN THE VICINITY.

+I DO HOPE THAT MR WU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT IF NEW AND COMPELLING EVIDENCE COULD BE PRODUCED SHOWING THAT THE NOISE FROM HELICOPTER OPERATIONS WOULD NOT AFFECT THE ACADEMY AS IT IS NOW DESIGNED, THEN THAT EVIDENCE SHOULD BE MOST CAREFULLY CONSIDERED, HE SAID.

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