New focus needed on big issues facing third Hong Kong airport, alliance urges

Lawmakers and green groups say agenda for group monitoring the project must change so that financing and airspace problems are discussed first

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Passengers are already paying construction fees for the HK$141.5 billion project. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 7:23pm, 17 Nov 2016Updated: 10:35pm, 17 Nov 2016

An alliance of green groups and lawmakers wants the agenda of a Legislative Council subcommittee set up to monitor the third airport runway project to be rearranged so high-priority issues such as financing and airspace are tackled first.

“We feel this subcommittee can still check and challenge the project in a serious way,” said subcommittee member Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, a New Territories West lawmaker. “But they must change the agenda immediately.”

Chairman Wong Ting-kwong said there was no point in changing the order of meetings if the relevant authorities were not able to oblige lawmakers’ demands.

Wong Ting-kwong, chairman of the Legco subcommittee. Photo: Dickson Lee

“I understand some colleagues may feel that the issues are important and want to discuss them first,” Wong said. “But it will depend on whether the authorities will be able to provide us additional information or data. If they are not ready, there is no use for us in holding meetings earlier.”

According to the current scheduling by the Transport and Housing Bureau, the first of five meetings over the legislative term will be on environmental issues. Financing will not be discussed until the fourth meeting in June.

That would affect the ability of the subcommittee to scrutinise the Airport Authority’s financing plan when it is released at the end of the year, Chu said. The plan will involve bonds and loans on top of passenger surcharges, which are already in effect.

Eddie Chu says there are still many unanswered questions about the third runway. Photo: Sam Tsang

“We worry the government will deliberately interfere and disallow us the opportunity to have meaningful debate over financing,” he added. “There are still many unanswered questions. Is the project still financially feasible? If there are cost overruns, will the burden be passed on to us? What about loan repayments?”

New focus needed on big issues facing third Hong Kong airport, alliance urges

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Lawmakers and green groups say agenda for group monitoring the project must change so that financing and airspace problems are discussed first

Lawmakers and green groups say agenda for group monitoring the project must change so that financing and airspace problems are discussed first