XN000022-1993-04-22 — Page 11

THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1993

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MR PRESIDENT SUPPLEMENTARY'S?

MR NGAI.

MR

GOVERNMENT

NGAI

SIR, CAN YOU ELABORATE FURTHER, HOW WILL THE DEMONSTRATE THIS RESOLVE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM, FOR EXAMPLE WILL IT SET UP CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIMETABLE?

GOVERNOR : WE'VE SET OUT WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE THE INFLATION RATE OVER THIS YEAR AND WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN TO DO BETTER THAN THAT OR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T DO MUCH WORSE. THE MAIN THING THAT I BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO, TO REPEAT MYSELF, IS TO USE ITS OWN RESOURCES OR RATHER THE RESOURCES PROVIDED BY TAX PAYERS SENSIBLY AND THAT WE WILL DO BY CONTINUING ΤΟ KEEP A PROPER CONTROL OVER PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. WE'LL ALSO EXPECT THOSE UTILITIES WHERE WE HAVE A SAY TO ENSURE THAT ANY INCREASE IN PRICES FOR PRODUCTS ONLY MEETS THE INCREASE IN OPERATING COSTS OR THE IMPROVEMENT OR INCREASE IN

SERVICES. WHAT WE CAN'T DO IS TO HOLD ANY INCREASE IN FEES DOWN So LOW THAT THE TAX PAYER HAS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE THAT ISN'T A VERY SENSIBLE WAY OF TRYING TO COUNTER INFLATION.

OF

MR EDWARD HO YOU MENTIONED SHORTAGE OF LAND AS ONE OF THE CAUSE INFLATION AND I AGREE TO THAT, ESPECIALLY COST OF HOUSING. YOU MENTIONED

BUT WITH THE GREATEST RESPECT, I FEEL THAT THE PROBLEM

A IS

REALLY SHORTAGE OF LAND PER SE IN THAT WE DO HAVE

LOT OF NOT

I THINK LAND, SAY IN TSEUNG KWAN O, IN TIN SHUI WAI AND ALL OVER NT. IT'S THE SHORTAGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION,

AND SEWERAGE

WATER

AND SO ON AND MY QUESTION IS WHETHER THE

KONG HONG GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO COMMIT RESOURCES TO MAKE AVAILABLE THESE INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT OUR RAW LAND IN THE NT CAN BE DEVELOPED.

SUPPLY

GOVERNOR I THINK THAT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER MAKES A FAIR POINT AND Í THINK THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE DO HAVE IS IN MAKING SURE THAT THE LAND WHICH IS AVAILABLE CAN BE PREPARED ADEQUATELY AND IN TIME FOR DECENT DEVELOPMENT WITH, AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER SAYS, DECENT ROADS, SEWERAGE, DECENT OTHER UTILITIES PROVIDED. THAT IS AN ISSUE WHICH I THINK WE

IT ALSO WILL NEED TO DISCUSS WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.

CAPITAL RAISES OF COURSE, THE QUESTION OF ENSURING THAT WE MEET THOSE INVESTMENT TARGETS THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SETS FOR THE COMMUNITY WE IN HIS ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT AND YOU WILL KNOW THE MEASURES THAT

WE MEET OUR ARE TAKING ON THE CAPITAL SIDE TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT TARGETS RATHER THAN FALL SHORT OF THEM. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO BUT IN ORDER TO AFFORD THEM, WE'LL HAVE ENSURE THAT THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW AT ITS PREVIOUS RATE AND ORDER TO SECURE THAT OBJECTIVE, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP A PROPER CONTROL OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

MRS

IN

BY

BY

MIRIAM LAU SIR, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHAT EXACTLY YOU MEAN MAXIMIZING THE USE OF RESOURCES? YOU WERE REFERRING TO GOVERNMENT UTILITIES. DOES THAT INCLUDE MAKING A PROFIT ON THOSE UTILITIES THE GOVERNMENT, AS THE GOVERNMENT DOES IN THE CASE OF TUNNELS?

/GOVERNOR