XN000022-1993-06-10 — Page 12

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1993

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FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION IN LEGCO TODAY (THURSDAY):

MR MARVIN CHEUNG: GOVERNOR, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO THE COUNCIL WHY OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS SUCH AS JAPAN, SINGAPORE AND SWEDEN CAN OPERATE ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE INCINERATORS IN A COST-EFFICIENT MANNER AND YET THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE CONSISTENTLY MAINTAINED THAT SUCH FACILITIES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG?

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GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S SENSIBLE TO REGARD THE DISPOSAL WASTE AS PRESENTING A STARK CHOICE BETWEEN, ON THE ONE HAND, INCINERATION AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, LANDFILL. THE TRUTH IS THAT EVEN WITH INCINERATION YOU NEED LANDFILL AND EVEN WITH LANDFILL YOU'LL ALMOST CERTAINLY NEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INCINERATION. BUT I DO THINK THAT HONG KONG PRESENTS PARTICULAR PROBLEMS AND THAT WE'VE AND THIS IS LARGELY A QUESTION OF DECISIONS TAKEN IN THE PAST - GOT THE BALANCE RIGHT IN FACING OUR OWN PARTICULAR PROBLEMS. TWO PROBLEMS WHICH PARTICULARLY AFFECT US HERE IN HONG KONG ARE HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS AND THE PROBLEMS OF A LARGE COMMUNITY LIVING IN A SMALL GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. SO IF YOU ARE TRYING TO SITE INCINERATORS, YOU NEED TO SITE THEM IN FAIRLY REMOTE AREAS OF HONG KONG, AND THAT PRODUCES PROBLEMS OF TRANSPORT OF WASTE TO THOSE SITES, I THINK,

IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT IT IS RIGHT FOR US TO HAVE DEPENDED, AS HAVE,

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ON LANDFILL BUT, I REPEAT, WE WILL NEED MORE INCINERATION. WILL NEED INCINERATION FOR WASTE LIKE MEDICAL WASTE. WE WILL ALSO, AM SURE, NEED SOME INCINERATION CAPACITY TO COPE WITH OTHER FORMS WASTE IN THE YEARS AHEAD. I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THE COSTS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OF DISPOSAL TO LANDFILL ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THE COSTS OF INCINERATION. AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT I THINK THAT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WOULD FIND QUITE A FEW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THOSE LIVING NEAR INCINERATORS, WOULD OBJECT то THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW INCINERATORS, JUST AS PEOPLE UNDERSTANDABLY OBJECT TO THE OPENING UP OF LANDFILL.

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MR PETER WONG: GOVERNOR, NOW THAT THE LEGAL ADVICE ON THE PROPRIETY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION OVER THE TEMPORARY BORROWING OF 18 HECTARES OF CLEAR WATER BAY COUNTRY PARK FOR THE SAID LANDFILL WAS THAT THE COUNTRY PARKS ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY TO THE CROWN, THEREBY OUT THE ABILITY OF CONCERNED PUBLIC TO OBJECT. IS THAT THE THIS YOUR GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE WITH THIS DOUBLE STANDARD?

GOVERNOR: I AM PERFECTLY CONTENT TO REVIEW THE OPERATION COUNTRY PARKS ORDINANCE AND IF WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP SOME ASPECTS THAT ORDINANCE, IF THAT IS THE VIEW OF THIS COUNCIL TO DO SO. GENERAL CONSERVATION LEGISLATION APPLIES AS MUCH TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AS IT DOES TO PRIVATE. BUT IN RELATION TO LAND USE IN THE COUNTRY PARKS, I THINK THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS RIGHT TO SAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS "OUT" WITH REGULATIONS WHICH WOULD APPLY TO A PRIVATE OWNER. I DON'T HONESTLY THINK THAT THAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE

TO ARISE FROM THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT THAT LANDFILL, BUT I WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY TO DEAL WITH QUESTIONS ON THAT PROPOSED LANDFILL THE HONOURABLE MEMBER OR FROM OTHERS.

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