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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in a media session after attending a radio programme today (November 8):
Reporter: ... the cost estimate for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, is that a reliable estimate now and do you expect the cost to rise any further?
Secretary for Transport and Housing: We are talking about a revised cost estimate for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities) project. We will be going to the Transport Panel of LegCo (Legislative Council) very soon. I hope by the end of the year. In that submission, we'll be providing full details of the proposed revision and the justification. So at this point, we are talking about a figure of roughly $5 billion increase. $5 billion represents less than 20 per cent of the original estimate which was approved in 2011. If you look at escalation, whether in terms of construction labour cost, or in terms of tender prices, the increase is more than 20 per cent.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Saturday, November 8, 2014
Issued at HKT 13:31
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