THE Provisional Airport Authority's chief executive, Hank Townsend, is optimistic despite the continuing prospect of delay in the Chek Lap Kok project.
Dr Townsend recently returned from Europe on government business, where he said it was generally held that Hong Kong should get on with building the airport.
''There is a collective will that we need to get on with the airport because it's in the best interests of Hong Kong,'' he said.
Dr Townsend said the progress in the Airport Core Programme (ACP) over the past three years could not have been achieved anywhere but Hong Kong.
''The key point is that when we were committed to the 10 projects of the ACP programme, many people were concerned about the scale of the project and the timing of the projects,'' he said.
In the past three years, the seven government projects were being accomplished on time and within budget - ''a testimony to some extent of the capabilities and dedication of the organisations involved''.
