XN000022-1993-07-23 — Page 3

1

GOOD WEEK POR ACP: CS

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1993

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, TODAY (FRIDAY) SAID THIS WEEK HAD BEEN A VERY GOOD WEEK FOR THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME (ACP).

"AS YOU KNOW ON WEDNESDAY THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING BILL WENT THROUGH. TODAY, CENTRAL WANCHAI RECLAMATION WAS APPROVED. AND EARLIER IN THE WEEK THE WEST KOWLOON EXPRESSWAY (NORTH SECTION) CONTRACT WAS LET FOR OVER $1 BILLION SIR DAVID SAID.

+

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT NOW GOT OVER $40 BILLION OF CONTRACTS WHICH WERE UNDERWAY ON THE ACP.

"THEY'RE ALL GOING WELL. THEY ARE ON TIME. AND THEY ARE WITHIN BUDGET. AND THIS IS A VERY GOOD RECORD FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PROJECT SUCH AS THIS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

71

AND AS I AM SURE YOU CAN ALL SER NOW THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME IS REALLY GETTING UNDERWAY AND IS MAKING TREMENDOUSLY PROGRESS. SO IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD WEEK FOR US, HE SAID.

1

GOOD

SIR DAVID ALSO SAID HE HOPED THAT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING WOULD BE HELD VERY SOON, ADDING THAT THERE WAS NO DATE YET FIXED.

"BUT 1 DO HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE ONE WITHIN THE NEXT OR SO AND THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

WEEK

"WE TO CLEARLY WANT TO PUT THE LAST PIECE OF THE JIGSAW IN PLACE AND GET AGREEMENT ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT AND THE RAILWAY AND THEN WE CAN GO ABSOLUTELY FULL STEAM AHEAD. BUT WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS,**

THE QUESTION OF THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS, SIR DAVID SAID THERE WAS STILL SOME DISCUSSION TO GO.

"BUT

AM CONVINCED THAT WITH GOOD WILL ON BOTH SIDES, AND THERE'S CERTAINLY PLENTY OF THAT I BELIEVE, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH A CONCLUSION QUITE SOON.

ON THE DRAFTING OF THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY BILL, HE SAID THE PROCESS WAS GOING AHEAD WELL AND HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT APPROVAL WOULD BE SOUGHT IN DUE COURSE.

HE SAID IT HAD TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE SIDE FIRST AND THEN WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ON THE LEGCO WORK, SIR DAVID SAID ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN QUITE A FEW CONTROVERSIES IN THIS LEGCO SESSION, THERE HAD BEEN A GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE OFFICIALS AND THE UNOFFICIALS, HAD WORKED TOGETHER.

THIS

HE SAID IT HAD BEEN A GOOD RECORD TO HAVE OVER 80 BILLS THROUGH SESSION.

"WE HAVE GOT ALL OUR BUSINESS THROUGH WITH A GREAT DEAL OF Co- OPERATION ON BOTH SIDES. AND I THINK IT IS A VERY HEALTHY SIGN TO SHOW THAT DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG IS WORKING VERY WELL.'

D

/2

+