THE Government may look again at issuing a temporary pay-TV licence to Wharf Cable in March, legislators were told yesterday.
At a meeting with the committee studying the Television (Amendment) Bill 1993, the Secretary for Recreation and Culture, Mr James So Yiu-cho, said they might have to reconsider the idea if there were delays in legislators' examination of the bill or withthe Government's consultation with China on the licence.
It was revealed last week that Executive Councillors had dropped the idea of granting a provisional licence and felt it was more appropriate to issue a permanent licence.
Exco also agreed in principle to award the subscription television licence to Wharf.
Mr So stressed that, in the past 12 months, the administration had been in close contact with China officials.
''I do not see at this moment any obstructive sign in our consultation with China that will cause delay,'' he said.
But if China's attitude was obstructive, the administration had to go back to Wharf to see if it was willing to take up the licence on a short-term basis, he said.
