THE Government has withdrawn a $111 million request for consultants' fees for the design of part of the Lantau port development after legislators said the study should not go ahead until a definite decision on the project had been made. The Financial Secretary, Mr Hamish Macleod, agreed to withdraw the proposal at yesterday's Legislative Council public works sub-committee meeting and allow legislators on the economic services panel more time to study the proposal. The proposal included $12.5 million in consultancy fees for the investigation and design of a four-berth container terminal with an operating area of about 80 hectares, and $51.5 million for roads from the North Lantau Expressway and reclamation for 38 hectares of serviced land. Another $14 million was requested for site investigations and $10 million for contingencies. The deputy secretary for planning, environment and lands, Mr Canice Mak Chun-fong, said the proposal was a preliminary investigation and design for the expansion of the whole port. ''We need the investigation before we can decide on the disposal of the future container terminal port,'' he said. United Democrat Mr Lee Wing-tat asked whether China had been informed of the port development and whether it had any objections to it. Mr Mak said he could not predict China's reaction in respect of the Container Terminal 9. Mr Macleod said the Government had not taken a decision on the new port and the investigation was only a general study. Meanwhile, the Legislative Council ad hoc group on airport finance will not be given details of the multi-million dollar payout to Mr Richard Allen, departing chief executive officer of the Provisional Airport Authority, when it meets on Friday. The director of the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, Mr Gordon Siu Kwing-chue, has written to group members reminding them that Mr Macleod has already said it would be inappropriate for the Government to disclose details relating to a confidential employee/employer relationship. The principal assistant secretary for economic services, Mr Bob Wilson, will also attend the meeting. Neither Mr Siu nor Mr Wilson are members of the board that decided to replace Mr Allen. A spokesman for NAPCO said it was uncertain whether government officials sitting on the PAA board would attend the meeting. Board members include Mr Macleod (chairman), the Secretary for Economic Services, Mrs Anson Chan Fang On-sang, the Secretary for Works, Mr James Blake, the Secretary for Transport, Mr Michael Leung Man-kin, the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr Peter Lok Kung-nam, and the Secretary for Monetary Affairs, Mr Michael Cartland. Legislator Mr Albert Chan Wai-yip said it was up to the convenor of the ad hoc group, Mr Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen, to decide who to invite.
