Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777
Monday, February 9, 1998
CONTENTS
========
1. CE: economy will thrive through adversities
2. SPEL sets out targets for 1998
3. Survey of 60,000 buildings for fire safety starts
4. Media arrangements for visits by NPC Chairman
5. New water treatment technologies to be adopted
6. ExCo members visit Labour Department
7. Update on avian flu
8. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
9. Water storage figure
1. CE: economy will thrive through adversities
*******************************************
With the joint efforts of the government and the
whole community, Hong Kong's economy will be able to
thrive through adversities and scale new heights, the
Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said at the spring
reception held by Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong Branch
today (Monday).
"Hong Kong has now entered a period of economic
readjustment. This readjustment would have come sooner or
later anyhow, because for years we have been troubled by
high land prices, soaring inflation and negative interest
rates, with the result that our competitiveness has
gradually lagged behind that of our competitors," he said.
"Should this prevail, the continuous growth of our
economy will be impeded. It is therefore inevitable that
Hong Kong's economy should undergo structural
readjustment. While the recent financial turmoil in Asia
has inflicted a lot of pain on us, it has also catalysed
the necessary readjustments of our economy.
"I hope the storm will soon calm down, and that Hong
Kong's economy will complete its readjustment before
long."
He said he was full of confidence that the SAR
Government will join hands with the whole community in
times of trouble to solidify Hong Kong's economic
foundation, properly utilise the resources and work for
the well-being of the community.
"One of the reasons that we are able to look beyond
the hard times to a bright future for Hong Kong is that we
have the powerful backing of our nation. In addition, we
have ample fiscal reserves, sound banking systems, as well
as the resilience and wisdom of the people of Hong Kong,
which will be brought into fuller play under the principle
of 'Hong Kong people running Hong Kong'."
End
2. SPEL sets out targets for 1998
******************************
The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands,
Mr Bowen Leung, said today (Monday) that the Bureau had
set out a number of targets this year to ensure the
delivery on time of land for development, explore the full
potential of strategic growth areas through integrated
planning and development studies, and prepare for the
establishment of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) to
speed up the pace and broaden the scope of urban renewal.
"At the same time, we are committed to conserving the
natural environment as well as improving the quality of
the living environment for our future generations,"
Mr Leung said.
In reviewing the work of the Bureau and looking ahead
to 1998, he said the second five-year Land Disposal
Programme, which would be announced in March, would take
into account the demand for land in the market and ensure
that sufficient land would be made available in a timely
manner.
He said the Government was fully aware that stable
property prices was important to the economy of Hong Kong.
"The Government did not want to see a sharp price
increase, nor a collapse in the property market. The
Government would therefore design the Land Sales Programme
flexibly to meet the market demand and keep the situation
under close monitoring," he said.
"As to our new commitments on territorial and sub-
regional planning, the integrated planning and development
studies for North West New Territories, North East New
Territories, and Hong Kong Island South and Lamma Island
have commenced. They will comprehensively assess the
development potential of these areas.
"These studies will identify further strategic growth
areas to meet long term development needs," he said.
To speed up urban redevelopment and encourage the
rehabilitation of buildings, the Government aimed to set
up an URA in 1999 with improved statutory powers to
expedite urban renewal on a larger scale and in a more
comprehensive manner.
Stage I of the Urban Renewal Strategy Study which
identified projects to be taken up by the URA had been
completed. Stage II and III of the study, which would
focus on selecting priority projects and the means to
enhance the financial viability of these projects, would
be completed around August this year.
Mr Leung said the Government would seek Finance
Committee's approval to set up an Urban Rehabilitation
Fund to offer loans at concessionary interest rates to
owners of buildings who had financial difficulty in
carrying out necessary maintenance and repair works to
their buildings.
On the environmental front, Mr Leung said the Bureau
would focus on tackling air pollution in 1998. These
include assessing the results of the LPG Taxi Trial
Scheme, formulating programmes to address indoor air
pollution and introducing a new set of index on roadside
air pollution.
"Consideration would also be given to stepping up
enforcement action against polluters."
The Government will also review the policy to redress
traffic noise problems from existing roads in the light of
the study on the technical feasibility of installing noise
barrier/enclosures on existing roads.
Another major task facing the Bureau would be the
promotion of sustainable development.
"We will seek the widest possible public
participation on the consultancy study on Sustainable
Development which commenced in September last year. The
ultimate goal is to make the concept of sustainable
development one that is shared by the community as a
whole," Mr Leung said.
A series of public consultation and education
programmes had been planned and would be launched over the
next few months.
Several important conservation projects and studies
will be carried out in 1998. These include the
implementation of the recommendations of the Consultancy
Report on the Management of Mai Po, for which additional
resources have been earmarked.
"We shall start an ecological study on Conservation
Biology of the Finless Porpoise in Hong Kong, which have
equal ecological value as the Chinese White Dolphin.
Another important study on Wetland Compensation will
enable us to understand the ecology in the wetlands and
devise measures to compensate for those lost due to
development projects," he said.
Mr Leung is glad to see the good progress made in
1997 in respect of a number of major cross-boundary
infrastructure proposals which were under the discussion
of the Hong Kong/Mainland Cross-Boundary Major
Infrastructure Co-ordinating Committee.
"When Stage II of the feasibility study for
additional cross-boundary links is completed in mid-1999,
we would take a decision as to how to proceed with some of
the major projects, e.g. the Lingdingyang Bridge and the
Shenzhen Western Corridor," he said.
"We have also strengthened ties with Guangdong and
Canada respectively through the Hong Kong-Guangdong
Environmental Protection Liaison Group and the signing of
the MOU on Environmental Collaboration with the Department
of Environment (Canada) early this year."
"We have in the past year introduced a number of
legislation and programmes on environmental improvement
and control, such as regulation to control construction
dust and to mandate the use of 0.05 percent sulphur motor
diesel standards on large diesel vehicles.
"The public consultation of the draft Waste Reduction
Plan has also been completed in 1997 and the plan will be
published later this year," he added.
"To better serve the community, we have set ambitious
targets for ourselves and we are looking forward for the
full support and understanding of the public to help us
achieve these targets," Mr Leung said.
End
3. Survey of 60,000 buildings for fire safety starts
*************************************************
The Director of Fire Services, Mr Peter Cheung, today
(Monday) said the importance of fire safety can not be
over-emphasized, as is illustrated by the serious fires
recently.
Speaking at the launch of a territory-wide survey of
some 60,000 private buildings, Mr Cheung said there was
great need for public awareness of fire safety to be
enhanced.
The fire service installations and their maintenance
would also have to be brought up to scratch, coupled with
good management, he added.
These buildings will be subject to a survey by about
180 non-commissioned officers of the Fire Services
Department who expect to conduct the inspections over the
next two months.
The survey will cover largely buildings other than
government-owned buildings, residential buildings of three
storeys or under, and buildings under the management of
Hong Kong Housing Society or Hong Kong Housing Authority.
The information collated by these voluntary, off-duty
officers on special checklists will form the basis of a
data bank from which further strategies by the
department's Fire Protection Command will be mapped out.
The job of the inspectors will be to look at fire
service installations and their state of maintenance, the
presence of illegal roof-top structures, electrical
installations and wiring along means of escape and
obstruction to means of escape.
Serious cases of offences spotted by the inspectors
will be reported to the department's relevant division for
immediate follow-up action.
Mr Cheung said that at the same time the Government
had been doing its part in stages to introduce legislative
amendments to enhance fire safety, especially at older
buildings, to present standards.
The Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance,
which came into force in May last year, now covers five
categories of premises each exceeding 230 square metres
such as banks, Jockey Club off-course betting centres,
jewellery and goldsmith shops, supermarkets and department
stores.
Further legislative amendment targeted at old
commercial buildings was awaiting approval by the
Provisional Legislative Council, Mr Cheung added.
End
4. Media arrangements for visits by NPC Chairman
*********************************************
The Chairman of the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress (NPC), Mr Qiao Shi, will arrive
in Hong Kong tomorrow (Tuesday) for a visit during which
he will meet Hong Kong deputies to the Eighth NPC and
deputies-elect to the Ninth NPC.
During his stay, Mr Qiao will also meet the Chief
Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, principal officials of the
SAR Government, Members of the Executive Council and the
Provisional Legislative Council, as well as community
leaders.
The SAR Government will host a lunch in honour of
Mr and Mrs Qiao. Mr Qiao will visit a number of
infrastructural projects.
End
5. New water treatment technologies to be adopted
**********************************************
Advanced water treatment technologies will be adopted
in the new Tai Po Treatment Works and Pumping Station to
be built in the middle of this month.
"The new technologies, namely Dissolved Air
Floatation (DAF) and Primary Areated Biological Filtration
(PABF), will maximise the capacity of the treatment works
within the site area," the Director of Water Supplies,
Mr Hu Man-shiu, said at a contract signing ceremony today
(Monday).
The DAF unit is a robust and efficient process to
lift coagulated solid loadings to the water surface by
injecting air for subsequent removal by scraper. The PABF
is a process using bacteria to remove ammonia and
manganese under a controlled biological environment.
"Upon completion in October 2000, the Tai Po
Treatment Works and Pumping Station will have an initial
capacity of 250,000 cubic metres per day, which can be
expanded to 1,200,000 cubic metres," Mr Hu said.
When fully expanded, it will be the second largest
treatment works in Hong Kong, able to serve the current
and projected developments in the metropolitan areas and
the northeast New Territories.
The contract comprises civil, electrical and
mechanical works and is the last of the three contracts
under the project "Additional Treatment and Water Transfer
Facilities for the Metropolitan Area and North-Eastern New
Territories - Stage 1" programme.
The $1,941 million contract, the largest ever
awarded, was signed by Mr Hu and a representative from the
contractor, Gammon Construction Limited.
Works for the other two contracts covering the
construction of related transfer facilities started in
mid-1997 and are in good progress.
The first contract covered the construction of the
Butterfly Valley Primary Service Reservoir while the
second involved the construction of aqueducts for carrying
raw water from the existing Tai Po Tau 'D' Pumping Station
to the proposed Tai Po Treatment Works and transferring
treated water from the proposed treatment works to the
Butterfly Valley Primary Service Reservoir.
End
6. ExCo members visit Labour Department
************************************
The convenor of the Executive Council, Dr the Hon
Sze-yuen Chung, and four non-official members visited the
Labour Department this (Monday) afternoon to see for
themselves the department's work in assisting job seekers
to find suitable jobs and employers to recruit staff for
their companies.
The four councillors were the Hon Yang Ti-liang, the
Hon Tam Yiu-chung, the Hon Charles Lee Yeh-kwong and the
Hon Chung Shui-ming.
The party was briefed by the Commissioner for Labour,
Miss Jacqueline Willis, and Deputy Commissioner (Labour
Administration), Mr Alfred Chan Wing-kit, on the work of
the department.
Members first visited the Job Matching Centre in Mong
Kok to see how the Supplementary Labour Scheme operated.
They then went to the Local Employment Service (LES) Mong
Kok office to meet job seekers and observe interview
sessions being conducted by the officers with the job
seekers.
At the LES office, members were introduced to a
newly-installed computer system which sets up an on-line
network linking up information on vacancies and job
seekers available at all nine LES offices.
End
7. Update on avian flu
*******************
The Department of Health (DH) announced today
(Monday) that there were no new cases of influenza A
(H5N1) today.
The total number of cases stands at 18 confirmed
cases.
The conditions of these cases remain the same as of
February 3.
End
8. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
*******************************************
Tender date : 9 February 1998
Paper on offer : EF Notes
Issue number : 2002
Issue date : 10 February 1998
Maturity date : 10 February 2000
Coupon : 10.00%
Amount applied : HK$6,285 MN
Amount allotted : HK$500 MN
Average price accepted (yield) : 101.18 (9.56 PCT)
Lowest price accepted (yield) : 101.16 (9.57 PCT)
Pro rata ratio : About 10 PCT
Average tender price (yield) : 101.02 (9.65 PCT)
End
9. Water storage figure
********************
Storage in Hong Kong's reservoirs at 9 am today
(Monday) stood at 79.2 per cent of capacity or 463.874
million cubic metres.
This time last year the reservoirs contained 460.821
million cubic metres of water, representing 78.6 per cent
of capacity.
End
