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Following is the transcript of the media session by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate), Dr Sarah Liao Sau-tung, today (June 24) at the Central Government Offices:

Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate): Thank you very much for coming here today. I am very pleased to meet with the press for the first time. I am unable to speak to you earlier, I haven't been returning calls, it is not that I don't want to, but the rules are such that I wasn't able to talk to you. I promise you I will be able to have more opportunities of sharing your views and discussion with me in the future.

I am very pleased to be able to have the opportunity to become the Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works. It is a big challenge but I view it as a real honour to be able to serve Hong Kong in this manner. I certainly hope I will do a good job. By combining the three portfolios, it is an amalgamation, that it is actually a first step into sustainable development. Sustainable development is something not just a jargon. It is something with a systematic approach to the fine balance between social, economic and environmental benefits and we also need to consider short-term and long-term impacts on the society and to our future generations. I have the responsibility from July 1 to determine what we should do about all these three areas, and before I can have a chance to talk to my team, I am just giving you a broad overview on what I think each portfolio entails.

In terms of transport, Hong Kong is a place where this is of paramount importance because we have a very limited land space where a high population gathers. And it is also about the movement of goods, it's not just people, being an entrepot for many many years. It is a window to the rest of the world and we also have to work with our hinterland, which is Southern China. How do we have a transport policy that will encourage trade and will develop ourselves into a logistics centre for the region is very high on my agenda.

In terms of works, the Works Bureau together with its seven departments have done a lot of work in the past years, as we can all see our big infrastructure projects, some of our public works, and I must say sometimes we only see the bad things, you know, if a road is never built, you criticise, but you don't see the new roads that are built as an asset. So, I hope we will leverage on the expertise, the professionalism that has already developed and that they will carry on with their good work to fit in with the new economy, the changes that we are seeing in the society to maintain quality, safety performance and efficiency.

And finally the environment. Thirty odd years ago, I hate to quote back years, it will soon become forty. Nobody understands the word "environment", and I am so glad to see that in this day and age it's become an everyday word. Everybody is aware of what the environment can do to them and what they can do to the environment. It is not just a few people with an aspiration or something beyond what the eyes can see. It is now very visible, and in fact, it is now part of our business, right? Look, for example, consumer goods, in the developed world, there is demand on manufacturers on the life cycle analysis of our goods so that it is a green product. On tourism, people look to the environment of the places where they want to visit and we want to attract tourists to Hong Kong, and tourism being a major industry. And international investors also look for places where their families and themselves can enjoy a good environment. So, basically what we are seeing is the internalisation of an externality. This is good news. So, it's become money, you know, and it's going to be a line function in this trio, that means, environment is part of the consideration from the beginning when you plan for transport or you plan for infrastructure.

The amalgamations will provide the right platform to ensure that all these happen in the early stage of all project development so that we don't miss out on time. And we promise you that we will use new technology, new management system to think beyond the box and bring about changes that you are happy to see. Thank you.

Reporter: There is a lot of concerns expressed that in dealing with .... when it comes to the decision environmental issue will ...... be sidelined, can you respond to that ...... And secondly, you are mixed with the tobacco industry and the third question is what experience do you have?

Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate): I don't think environment will be sidelined as I have just made that point in my speech. I strongly believe in sustainable development concept which is a delicate balance between the social, economic and environmental needs. And this has always been the way I have been working in the private sector and it works.

Secondly, on the tobacco industry incident, I have submitted all the reports and it has been carefully examined by the Environmental Protection Department. I believe they've made a response ... and also by the Department of Justice and they have concluded that there is no conflict of interest. And thirdly, with regard to the last question, my experience,....actually I have some experience in my past five years, I am actually Managing Director of a firm which has twelve thousand people in their china business, the greater china business which includes all infrastructure, transportation and environmental engineering, and I won't say......

Reporter: What's the most pressing environmental concern right now?

Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate): At the moment is the air quality that we are very anxious to improve. And we are seeing some improvement but not to get complacent with it. We got to get on with it.

Reporter: ...

Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate): I can talk to you later. They are already complaining I am spending too much time on environment.

Reporter: ...

Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works (Designate): No, they are not my clients. That's why I'm trying to explain here.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

End/Monday, June 24, 2002

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