******************************************************
To attain first-hand experience on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the region, a group of Hong Kong government officials will take part in a duty visit to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, from May 28 to June 1.
A spokesman for the Efficiency Unit said today (May 25) that the participants would meet with government officials involved in PPP projects as well as the clients and customers using facilities developed under this model to gain a deeper understanding on the use of PPPs to deliver public services.
Participants will also visit a range of PPP facilities covering water and sewage treatment, incineration plant, drainage facilities, highways, mass transit system, sports and recreational facilities, hospitals, port facilities, and information technology systems.
The spokesman noted that South East Asian countries were actively exploring the use of PPPs as the means to deliver large-scale infrastructural projects and services.
"By drawing on their experiences, we hope to learn from their experiences and how they overcame various challenges as we consider our own programme in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
Led by the Head of Efficiency Unit, Ms Kitty Choi, the group comprises 19 directorate grade officers and senior professional civil servants, from 14 policy bureaux and departments.
The visit is co-organised by the Efficiency Unit and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Singapore, with the assistance of various South East Asian authorities.
Ends/Friday, May 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:45
NNNN
