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Following is the transcript (English portion) of remarks made by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, after attending a radio programme on the Air Quality Objectives (AQO) Review Public Consultation today (July 25):
Reporter: Electricity tariffs and bus fares may have to go up but is it really necessary to go up by the rate mentioned in the consultation document?
Secretary for the Environment: Of course it is too premature to categorically say how much impact it will impose on tariff or bus fares. In fact the whole purpose of this consultation is to give the public a general sense that in order to achieve a standard which could benchmark against the WHO standards, what sort of packaged measures we need to do and we need to go to individual measure to talk about the commitment and also the time table. I think both the package and also the pace of the proposal are something that we need to consult the public. But of course in response to the public demand for a ballpark figure on how much it will impact on them, we need to do some very initial calculation. But it is important for me to emphasise that among the 19 measures, not every single measure might have a price tag. There are measures that could bring about benefit or savings, for instance energy efficiency, which the Government has in fact embarked on a very ambitious programme to help the public to make savings on the electricity consumption so I would urge people to look at this document in its totality in the range of programmes being rolled out, in the standard set out for Hong Kong's future and if we are serious about taking a big step in cleaning up our air, I think this is a very good starting point and I urge people to give comments on this document in the coming four months.
Reporter: Does it mean the Government can actually implement measures to offset some of the pressures to increase fares and tariffs?
Secretary for the Environment: Obviously the Government has a role in safeguarding any consideration of major changes that might impact on tariff and fares, which is our usual role. So on the one hand, there might be measures that might incur costs. But at the same time, when I wear the other hat as the monitoring body, it will be part of my duty to be vigilant on seeing whether those expenses are worth spending.
Reporter: (about the consultation)
Secretary for the Environment: We have started the consultation. The Government is obviously anxious to roll this forward but we need the public to be with us and this is a very important step. That is why this four-month consultation and discussion are so important. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, July 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:24
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