Taxpayers subsidising post-Sars bash won't be told how their money is spent
Taxpayers will fork out up to $80 million to finance the Harbour Fest as part of Hong Kong's post-Sars revival efforts - but they won't be entitled to cheap tickets or information on how the money is spent.
At an announcement yesterday that Craig David, Westlife and Santana will play at next month's music extravaganza, organisers of the $130 million show refused to divulge individual costs such as artist fees and construction costs.
The government has agreed to foot the shortfall of the bill - estimated at $30 million to $80 million.
'Anything that involves commercial confidentiality can't be made public. When the thing is over we will announce the net cost of the show, the revenue and the net profit, but there will not be an item-by-item breakdown,' said Mike Rowse, director-general of investment promotion at InvestHK.
Mr Rowse would not answer any questions relating to individual costs, saying: 'Hong Kong will not have commercial credibility if it breaches commercial confidence.'
Michael Denzel, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce's sports and entertainment committee, said the performers laid down in their contracts that information on how much they were being paid could not be disclosed.
