TNAG-2594-FCO40-3782-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 68

1992-05-12 09:37 INFORMATION SERVICES DEPT

852 521 7725 P.07

A

i

ENGLISH MEDIA

SLOPES

8

Both English dailies in the front page reported that a list of 10 000 dangerous slopes based on a 1977 survey was to be made public. The Post quoted a Government source as claiming that the list did not include the one above Baguio Villa. During a meeting with Omelco Lands and Works Panel, S for Works James Blake said they were considering the format under which the list should be released. While panel members were reported to be generally satisfied with the way the Government handled the mudslip, the papers noted that Southern DB demanded at an emergency meeting with officials for an explanation on why the slope at Baguio Villa had failed with such disastrous consequences. HKS in an inside page lead said residents there held the Government responsible for the landslip. One DB member demanded the Government paid dwellers for losses if the fault was proved. Meanwhile, residents of Baguio Villa called on the Government to take urgent action to reconstruct and stabilise the slope. The statement issued by Mr Blake on an initial review of the slope was carried by the Post.

In a related developmemt, the Post said an order to stabilise the slope in Kennedy Road which collapsed and killed a motorist had been issued to Wah Yan College more than two years ago. Acting Government geotechnical engineer Lee Wing-cheung said it was not until last year that they reached an agreement to have the Government carry out the work and a contract was scheduled to be tendered in October.

Noting that the two serious mudslips at Baguio' Villa and Kennedy Road had caused worries to those living near slopes, the Post in an editorial said there was a need for urgency from the Government in fulfilling its pledge to offer public access to a list of 10 000 slopes in HK, The public would need full disclosure of the degree of danger in particular areas, and what had been done or would be done to rectify the problems. HKS in an editorial said the slopes in HK should be thoroughly studied to avoid any catastrophe.

PADS

The Post in the front page said another British firm, the Halcrow Asia Partnership, had won a major airport-related consultancy contract to supervise the construction of the Lantau Fixed Crossing. The report noted that 26 of the 38 airport-related consultancy contracts had gone to British firms. Noting that the Government had decided to withhold confirmation, the paper said this was to avoid new claims of bias towards British firms before Legco's FC met on Friday to consider funding for the Tsing Ma Bridge.

1

HKS in the front page said the UDHK had demanded the release of two secret documents before they approved funding for the new airport and the rail link. The reports were the financial feasibility plans for the two projects. Meanwhile, the Post said Albert Chan Wai-yip would move a motion debate in Legco tomorrow on the impact of PADS on people's livelihood.