XN000022-1988-10-20 — Page 22

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1988

20

HONG KONG CANNOT AFFORD EXPO

1997 AND THE THE

ADMINISTRATION,

HONG KONG CANNOT AFFORD TO HOST A WORLD EXPO IN ISSUE SHOULD NOT TAKE UP ANY FURTHER TIME OF THE HON RONALD ARCULL1 SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

MR ARCULLI WAS SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MOTION DEBATE ON THE EXPO 1997 PROPOSAL.

HE SAID A PERSON HAD TO BALANCE THE HONG KONG WHEN CONSIDERING THE ISSUE.

I VOICED

DURING THE

PRIORITIES AND NEEDS OF

QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR THE

"WHEN ASKED INITIALLY, HOLDING OF A WORLD EXPO IN HONG KONG IN 1997.

"I BELIEVE THAT TODAY I AM BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE

HE SAID. CONS OF HONG KONG HOSTING SUCH AN EVENT,

WAS

PROS AND

HE SAID HE REALISED THAT IT

TO PREMATURE PROBABLY WORLD EXPO 1997 IN HONG PRONOUNCE ON THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF A

THE PROJECT WAS KONG BUT FELT THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT SIMPLY WHETHER FINANCIALLY VIABLE OR NOT,

ΤΟ AFFORD

HOST SUCH

AN

"THE ISSUE IS WHETHER HONG KONG CAN EVENT AND WHEN I SAY AFFORD 1 DO NOT MEAN PURELY IN DOLLAR TERMS.

BY VARIOUS SIDES HE SAID THAT ON THE FACTS AND REASONS GIVEN

HONG KONG INCLUDING THE ADMINISTRATION, HE HAD COME TO THE VIEW THAT COULD NOT AFFORD TO HOST SUCH AN EVENT IN VIEW OF HONG KONG'S NEEDS.

HAVE

WHO

MATTER "HOWEVER, I DO NOT WISH TO LEAVE THIS

WITHOUT VOICING LOWEST THERE SEEMED ΤΟ SOME DISAPPOINTMENT. TO PUT IT AT ITS BEEN A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THOSE PUT FORWARD THE IDEA, HE SAID.

"

OUGHT

A HOSTING OF

WORLD EXPO 1997 CANCELLATION OR DEFERRAL OF MAJOR HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE.

THE ADMINISTRATION

TO HAVE MADE IT PLAIN WOULD

MEANT HAVE NECESSARILY PROJECTS WHICH WERE ENTITLED

THAT

THE

THE

TO

TRIES ITS

"I

! SINCERELY HOPE THAT IN FUTURE THE ADMINISTRATION UTMOST TO AVOID A REPETITION OF THIS TYPE OF TIME-CONSUMING EXERCISE, HE SAID.

MR ARCULLI SAID HE WOULD VOTE AGAINST THE MOTION GOVERNMENT TO GIVE FULL AND SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE REGISTER HONG KONG'S INTEREST IN STAGING AN EXPO IN 1997.

то URGE THE

PROPOSAL

ΤΟ

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