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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, on the annual tariff review and the designation of country parks after attending the Public Engagement on Municipal Solid Waste Charging regional forum today (November 29):
Reporter: There have been a lot of concerns in the community that there will be a hike in electricity tariffs. What factors can influence the hike? What do we expect next month? Will there be a sharp increase?
Secretary for the Environment: Your question is about tariff increase in the coming year. The consideration for this year is that we have to review the development plan for the coming five years that will have impact on the coming tariff review. So the first step is to complete the development plan review first and then we can talk about the annual tariff review. The key is that we have to consider the necessity of those developments so that we could confine those basic development items to be approved. With that we can ensure the stable supply of power and at the same time we can manage the tariff increase. Certainly, the other consideration is the fuel cost, because actually the fuel cost will be the major factor affecting the tariff in the coming years and the coming decade. The forthcoming fuel mix review actually will be even a more important aspect for the society to consider.
Reporter: Regarding the country park enclaves, there has been a lot of support and opposition, especially for turning Tai Long Sai Wan into a country park. Do you think the Government can balance the needs of conservation and development, and how can you do this?
Secretary for the Environment: As I said earlier, we are in a constant dialogue with the relevant stakeholders including the LegCo members. As to the recent letter to our Bureau (from the Heung Yee Kuk), and we just made a reply to them, highlighting that we are not going to affect their existing land ownership and use. At the same time we have the Environment and Conservation Fund. Actually that would be a means to help strike a balance; that means through the co-operation with villagers, NGOs and the Government, we can invest the relevant funding to revitalise certain abandoned farmland, so that they could offer benefit to the local people. At the same time we can achieve the aim to conserve the environment, and also benefit the users from town to the villages. So these are concrete measures that can drive multiple benefits.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, November 29, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:47
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