XN000022-1994-08-27+28 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1994

AIRPORT PROJECT MOVING INTO PEAK CONSTRUCTION PERIOD

PERIOD

THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW MOVING INTO THE PEAK CONSTRUCTION FOR THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME (ACP), THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR DONALD TSANG, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A THREE-DAY EXHIBITION SHOWING THE LATEST PROGRESS OF THE 10 ACP PROJECTS, MR TSANG SAID: "TO DATE, A TOTAL OF 60 MAJOR CONTRACTS WORTH OVER $50.8 BILLION WITH PARTICIPANTS FROM COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE HAVE BEEN AWARDED.

"TAKING THE LEAD ARE COMPANIES FROM JAPAN (26 PER CENT BY VALUE), FOLLOWED BY HONG KONG (20 PER CENT), THE UNITED KINGDOM (14 PER CENT), THE NETHERLANDS (10 PER CENT), CHINA (8 PER CENT), FRANCE (6 PER CENT) AND OTHERS LIKE BELGIUM, AUSTRALIA, THE USA, NEW ZEALAND, ITALY, GERMANY AND SOUTH AFRICA."

THE ACP EXHIBITION AT THE PARK COURT OF THE PACIFIC PLACE, QUEENSWAY, IS OPEN DAILY FROM 10 AM TO 8 PM UNTIL MONDAY (AUGUST 29). THIS IS THE SECOND OF 10 LOCAL EXHIBITIONS BEING ORGANISED BY THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION OFFICE TO KEEP MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABREAST OF WORKS PROGRESS OF THE 10 ACP PROJECTS.

MR TSANG SAID THE ACP PROJECTS HAD BEEN PROGRESSING WELL IN TERMS OF BUDGET AND PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES.

"WE CLOSELY MONITOR PROJECT COST, SCOPE AND PROGRAMMING. INDEED, WE MANAGED TO REDUCE THE TOTAL COST ESTIMATE FOR THE ACP $163.7 BILLION TO $158.2 BILLION EARLY THIS YEAR.

FROM

"WE ARE ADOPTING THE BEST POSSIBLE COST-SAVING AND TIME-SAVING ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS AND ARE ATTRACTING THE WORLD'S TOP ENGINEERS.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN OBTAINING HIGHLY INTERNATIONAL TENDERS," HE SAID.

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CONSTRUCTION COMPETITIVE

THE ACP GAVE THE GOVERNMENT A MOST CHALLENGING TASK OF BUILDING OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WITHIN A TIGHT BUDGET AND AN EQUALLY TIGHT TIMETABLE, MR TSANG SAID..

"ONE OF OUR MAJOR TASKS AHEAD IS OUR WORK ON PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND COST MONITORING AND CONTROL.

WE

"WE SHALL KEEP UP OUR EFFORTS IN TAKING THE ACP FORWARD. SHALL, AS BEFORE, SUBJECT THE ACP TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND MONITORING. IN THIS REGARD, THE AIRPORT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BOTH HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY. THEY ARE KEPT INFORMED OR CONSULTED ON THE PROGRESS, FINANCING AND COST OF THE ACP," HE SAID.

MR TSANG SAID THIS $168 BILLION PROGRAMME WAS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD MEET HONG KONG'S EVER-GROWING DEMANDS WELL INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.

/"I ENCOURAGE