TNAG-0426-FCO40-472-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 102

XCS(73)12

SECRET

12

a Letter of Intent and, if the subsequent negotiations were successful, the execution of a formal contract);

or

(b) whether all three consortia should be informed

that the Government does not intend to select a contractor at this stage, but will continue to issue information on soil conditions and design specifications in accordance with the procedures envisaged in the main sequence.

28

Honourable Members will realise that this memorandum deals with the quantifiable aspects only of the various bids submitted under the supplementary procedure and which lay within the terms of reference of the Steering Group. However, they will also realise that the award of a contract of this magnitude and importance does involve political and politico-economic considerations. Although these are hard to quantify they could be of great significance for the Colony and cannot, therefore, be ignored.

(The Director of Public Works (Acting) (Mr A. S. ROBERTSON), the Secretary for Economic Services (Mr D. J. C. JONES), Principal Crown Counsel (Mr F. de F. STRATTON), the Director of Mass Transit Studies (Mr A. H. WILKINS) and the Assistant Financial Secretary (Mass Transit Studies) (Mr LAU Wah-sum) will attend before the Council for the discussion of this item. The Deputy Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (Mr M.G.R. SANDBERG) will also attend for this item in his capacity as a member of the Mass Transit Steering Group).

7th December 1973

(CR 10/5591/70 II)

SECRET

COUNCIL CHAMBER