*********************************************************
Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, at a media session this afternoon (February 2):
Reporter: Mr Leung, the setting up of ITB. Is the Government implying that the work of OGCIO and Innovation and Technology Commission has not been doing well and is inadequate?
Chief Executive: There is a lot on the plate of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau - matters ranging from negotiation with ASEAN countries on the matter of free trade agreement, the 13th Five-Year Plan, CEPA, the issue of licences including air transport licences and so on. The present-term Government places a great deal of emphasis on economic development, without which we cannot deal with social issues such as housing, poverty, ageing society and environmental protection. We need a strong and growing economy to do this, and we need the CEDB, the commerce and economic development department, to focus on economic development. Matters relating to innovation and technology should belong to a separate bureau, so that it would have the leadership of a separate secretary, under secretary, political assistant and so on. So it is important that we have this Innovation and Technology Bureau.
The formation of this bureau has already been passed by LegCo in the form of resolution. It has been passed by the Establishment Subcommittee. Now it is with the Finance Committee, and we are prepared to answer questions raised by members of Finance Committee, and we are prepared to listen to views and comments of members of Finance Committee, but we do not need, and Hong Kong does not need, filibustering. And filibustering is being mounted by a few, by a handful of opposition members for the purpose of opposing the Government, and they should be held accountable. They should be held accountable to explain to the public why the ITB should not be formed from the finance point of view, from the finance point of view. I need to remind such members that this initiative on the part of Government has already been passed by LegCo itself. It has been passed by the Establishment Subcommittee, and we are prepared to answer questions relating to finance. Anything outside of finance raised by members of the Legislative Council Finance Committee and people see it, it will be patently obvious they are just means of filibustering, frustrating the Government.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, February 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:01
NNNN
Windows Media format
Flash format