XN000022-1990-09-05 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1990

GOVT STUDYING GORDON WU'S DEVELOPMENT PLANS

A NUMBER OF REQUESTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FOR COMMENT ON THE REPORT BY MR GORDON WU ON FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. IN RESPONSE, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

"WE HAVE RECEIVED MR GORDON WU'S REPORT AND ARE STUDYING IT.

"THE REPORT SHARES A NUMBER OF KEY FEATURES WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN PLANS. THESE INCLUDE:

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THE NEED FOR A NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WHICH SHOULD BE AT CHEK LAP KOK;

THE NEED FOR A NORTH LANTAU EXPRESSWAY; AND

PROVISION FOR INCREMENTAL PORT DEVELOPMENT HARBOUR AREA.

IN THE WESTERN

"THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES, INCLUDING THE ALIGNMENT AND TIMING OF CONSTRUCTION OF MAJOR TRANSPORT LINKS.

"IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS : HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTIVELY EXAMINED BY INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS OVER A LONG PERIOD AND COMPARED WITH OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS THOSE INCLUDED IN MR WU'S PROPOSALS. THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS HAVE PROVED TO BE THE BEST IN BOTH ENGINEERING AND FINANCIAL TERMS.

"MR WU'S LATEST PROPOSALS ARE INTERESTING BUT HAVE NOT YET BEEN SUBJECT TO THE SAME DEGREE OF INDEPENDENT SCRUTINY.

"A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION SUGGESTS THAT THEY DO NOT MEET KONG'S REQUIREMENTS IN A NUMBER OF RESPECTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO SOLVE THE CONSIDERABLE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OF WEST KOWLOON.

HONG

NOT

"MOREOVER, PROCEEDING IN PARALLEL WITH BOTH TRANSPORT LINKS LANTAU WOULD PLACE A CONSIDERABLE BURDEN ON ENGINEERING AND RESOURCES.

TO

FINANCIAL

"PARTICULARLY, IN RELATION TO FINANCIAL ASPECTS, IT IS VERY DOUBTFUL WHETHER MR WU'S FUNDING PROPOSALS WOULD PROVE ΤΟ BE VIABLE IN THE TIMESCALE ENVISAGED.

"WE WILL STUDY THE REPORT IN DETAIL AND RESPOND MORE FULLY AT A LATER DATE. IN THE MEANTIME, WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH OUR AGREED AIRPORT AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS WITH ALL DUE SPEED,"

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