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Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (SCIT), Mr John Tsang, to the media after officiating at the opening of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair today (April 14):
Reporter: I understand that the Government has received a report from the TDC concerning the extension of the HKCEC. Can you brief us about the Government stance on that?
SCIT: The Government has received a proposal from the TDC a while ago about the extension of the atrium link. We have now done a study on the supply and demand of exhibition space in Hong Kong. We have received that report and we have submitted that to the Legislative Council for their consideration. Meanwhile, we will be considering in earnest what the consultancy study has provided for us and together with that, we will make a decision on TDC's proposal in due course.
Reporter: Concerning RTHK's system earlier because there was a court case, do you see a need to revamp the system of contracting out programmes?
SCIT: We are very concerned about the sentence and we are also very concerned about what the Judge had indicated when he made the sentence. Obviously that was a case which happened two or three years ago. Quite a lot has been done since that time. We have involved the ICAC as well as the Civil Service Bureau, and also with the Director of Audit. Quite a number of measures have been implemented. However, we need to do more. What we have asked the Director of Audit to do is to expand the ambit of his studies on various parts of the RTHK management. We are also working together with the RTHK to deepen some of the programmes they have been doing in terms of anti-corruption, in terms of education, and in terms of overall management. We will be working together on that. Hopefully we will be able to deliver better quality programmes and better efficiency for the people of Hong Kong.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Thursday, April 14, 2005
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