XN000022-1995-07-19 — Page 39

Nomination of Airport Authority members

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As regards nomination of Airport Authority members, the Hon Samuel Wong and the Hon Steven Poon have already commented why the proposed amendment to require a proportion of the membership of the Authority be nominated by the Legislative Council cannot be supported. I agree with them that it would be wrong to fetter the power of the Governor to appoint as members of the Authority, those he considers best qualified for the job. I hope Mr Chan on further reading of the Section 3(3)(d) of the Bill will see that the Administration's policy intention, which is that that should be as wide a range of experience as possible for as members are already enshrined in the Bill.

Long term interests of Hong Kong

As regards the so call long-term interests of Hong Kong, I find it difficult to support the suggestion that the Bill should include a provision to the effect that the Authority should take into account the long term interests of Hong Kong in addition to conducting its business in accordance with prudent commercial principles. I have no doubt that, in conducting their business, Members of the Authority will take into account the long term interests of Hong Kong, I do not see the need to specify this in the law. The Bill already contains a large number of provisions aimed at safeguarding the public interest which would include the overall interest of Hong Kong, long or short term. I am glad to note that the Hon Steven Poon and other members of the Liberal Party subscribe to this view.

Open meetings of the Board of the Airport Authority

The Hon Albert Chan has also proposed an amendment to require that, with certain exceptions, meetings of the Board of the Airport Authority should be open to the public. First, may I say that we fully understand the wish for transparency and accountability. However, this arrangement is not in line with the practice of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, both of which like the Airport Authority conduct their business in accordance with prudent commercial principles. Nor is it in line with the practice of companies in the private sector which the Airport Authority would expect to do business with.

A further practical problem is that many of the issues to be considered by the Board are likely to fall into the category of information not for public disclosure because they may touch on matters which are confidential to Members and/or commercially sensitive. In sum, I consider the proposed amendment to be neither appropriate nor practical.