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Following is a transcript of remarks by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at a media session on the 2013 Policy Address at the Legislative Council Complex today (January 16):
Reporter: Would there be any sweeteners in the coming Budget?
Financial Secretary: Pardon?
Reporter: Would there be any sweeteners?
Financial Secretary: What do you mean by "sweeteners"?
Reporter: Will there be any sweeteners?
Financial Secretary: What do you mean by "sweeteners"? I'm asking what do you mean by that?
Reporter: ... Cash handouts, or ...
Financial Secretary: The one-off handout. Well, this is something that we would need to consider. This is something that we have done in the past, and it has served a clear economic purpose. And we will look at the conditions and decide nearer the time.
Reporter: ... And do you think the Government could be more generous in terms of spending on ... policies in the short term?
Financial Secretary: I think I've just explained that.
Reporter: In English as well?
Financial Secretary: I think I've just explained that. I don't know if I can repeat that in English.
Reporter: Could you give us a figure for the reclamation of these 5-7,000 hectares, the cost of actually constructing these houses and doing it in a speedier frame of time than was originally envisaged? Do you have a total estimate of what that's going to cost?
Financial Secretary: I think you're asking me to do the impossible. I don't have that figure for you, and it all depends on the time scale, it all depends on the size, and it all depends on what we'll be doing on it. So I won't be able to give that to you right now.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:10
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