XN000022-1989-07-19 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1989

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"WE NEED ACTIONS MORE THAN LONG DRAWN OUT CONSULTATIVE PROCESSES, MR CHENG SAID AS HE APPLAUDED THE GOVERNMENT'S MOVE OF WAIVING THE USUAL PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXERCISE IN THE FORM OF A GREEN PAPER BY GOING STRAIGHT TO THE WHITE PAPER ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.

HE STRONGLY URGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO DO AWAY WITH WORDS SUCH AS "BUT", "IF", "LIKELY", "INTENDED" "ENCOURAGE" 'EXPECTED", "VOLUNTARY" AND REPLACE THEM WITH "WILL" AND MUST" IN THE "THE WAY FORWARD" SECTIONS OF THE WHITE PAPER.

H

*THE ADMINISTRATION MUST NOT BE AFRAID то MAKE DEFINITE COMMITMENTS IN CONTROVERSIAL AND DIFFICULT AREAS OR I CAN GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL BE POURING BILLIONS DOWN A DARK BOTTOMLESS EMPHASISED.

PIT," HE

ON THE PROPOSED ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK, MR CHENG EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE SUBSERVIENT ROLE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) IN THE FUTURE AS APPARENTLY THE DEPARTMENT WOULD NOT BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH PLANNING OR INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY-MAKING.

NOTING THAT EPD WAS SHIFTING MORE TOWARDS AN ADVISORY ROLE то THE SECRETARY FOR PLANNINGS ENVIRONMENT AND LAND AND A MONITORING, ENFORCEMENT UNIT, MR CHENG SAID IT WOULD BE A REAL SHAME FOR THE EXPERTISE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO BE LOST IN THE REORGANISATION.

HE HOPED THERE WOULD BE A PROPER MECHANISM FOR THE EPD TO HAVE A STRONG VOICE IN FRAMING OF MAJOR PROJECT PLANS WHICH HAD MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS. A CASE IN POINT WAS THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT.

THE $20,000 MILLION EARMARKED

ON FUNDING, HE FEARED THAT MIGHT NOT BE SUFFICIENT OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD IF WE WERE TO REALLY CORRECT THE POLLUTION SITUATION,

IN

"AS SUCH, I MUST URGE THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO LET THE TURMOIL CHINA OR A TEMPORARY ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN UNDULY AFFECT THE COMMITMENT MADE ON THE SPENDING PROGRAMMES.

"WE MUST VIEW HAVING A CLEANER, HEALTHIER AND SAFER ENVIRONMENT AS ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS IN MAINTAINING LONG-TERM CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

ON ENFORCEMENT AND COMPLIANCE, MR CHENG FELT THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST REALLY GET TOUGH AND WE SIMPLY COULD NOT AFFORD ANY PROCRASTINATION.

"IT IS USELESS TO WOULD NOT WORK, HE SAID.

**

ENCOURAGE ' COMPLIANCE BECAUSE IT SIMPLY

HE HOPED INDUSTRIALISTS WOULD BE MADE ΤΟ UNDERSTAND THAT INVESTMENT IN CLEAN TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE CHEAPER IN THE LONG-TERM THAN PAYING "PENALTIES" IN THE FUTURE IN THE FORM OF BUILDINGS REQUIRING MORE FREQUENT MAINTENANCE, IN HIGHER MEDICAL COSTS FOR THE STAFF AND A WHOLE STRING OF OTHER HIDDEN COSTS.

/HE WAS