TNAG-2408-FCO40-3502-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-Brit-1992 — Page 24

A

Translation

Extract from Ming Pao Daily News dated 26.3.92

British Companies Awarded 70% of Consultancy

Contracts for New Airport Project

A British Consortium Alone Wins 9 Contracts

Worth $1 Billion Accounting for Half of The

Total Consultant Fees

Although Hong Kong Government officials have repeatedly indicated

that the Government will not specifically look after British interests when awarding contracts for the new airport project, relevant information reveals

that over 70% of the Airport Core Programme consultancy

have been awarded are given to British Companies. Among them Mott MacDonald,

a British company, has won 9 contracts worth $1 billion which account for

nearly 50% of the total consultant fees.

contracts which

Dr. the Honourable Samuel WONG Ping-wai,

Legislative Councillor

returned from the Engineering

Electoral Division, is of the view that the

Government has a duty to explain to the public why the contracts are awarded

contracts, he worries

to only a handful of companies. As one company gets 9

that it will have a direct bearing on the quality of works.

The Hon Samuel WONG quoted Mr. James Blake, the Secretary

for Works, who explained that most of the contracts were awarded to British Companies because 'accepting the lowest bid' was still the basic selection

criterion adopted by the Hong Kong Government. Mr. Paul Tang, Assistant

Co-ordinating Director (Community Relations) of the New Airport Project

Office, told our reporter that several

contracts were awarded to a company

.......