3rd runway approved; Project on self-produced tap water; The CY Leungs drama. Photo Credit: Chris Lusher
– ExCo has consented, without LegCo’s approval, to the Airport Authority’s third runway project which is now estimated to cost HK$141.5bn
– The AA’s CEO Fred Lam said it will cover overrun cost while departing passengers will be charged $180 each based on the user-pays principle
– The construction project is expected to be completed in 2023
– The Development Bureau will seek funding from the LegCo to build a desalination plant which can turn seawater into tap water in case of drought in the Pearl River Delta
– It is expected that about 5% of water consumption can be met upon completion of its first stage in 2020
– Cost of production per cubic metre is estimated to be $12 or $13, about $4 more expensive than importing from GuangdongIPCC to review 160 cases of complaints against Police.
– The Complaints Against Police Organisation (CAPO) has received 2065 complaints (in Chinese) concerning 518 cases between the beginning of the Occupy Movement and last Friday
– The CAPO will submit 160 cases to the Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) who will conduct full investigation on 21 cases
– Police commissioner Andy Tsang said (in Chiese) the Police have arrested 48 people for illegal assembly-related charges since the Movement; Tsang also said that investigation on officers allegedly beating protesters has been completed and will be submitted to the Secretary for Justice for further actions
Subcommittee on Competition Ordinance holds first meeting.
– Subcommittee to Study the Proposed Subsidiary Legislation on the Procedures to be Adopted by the Competition Tribunal held its first meeting yesterday, during which Civic Party’s Dennis Kwok was elected as the Subcommittee’s chairman
– The Subcommittee will focus on simplifying and shortening the procedure to appeal
New income and asset limits for Public Rental Housing.
– The Subsidised Housing Committee endorsed the income and asset limits for PRH for 2015/2016 with effect from 1st April
– The income and asset limits will increase by 5.8% and 7% respectively compared with 2014/2015’s figures
Politics (general)
CY Leung talks of CY Leung junior’s “health problems” after possible roll in Government House.
– CY Leung’s daughter Leung Chaiyan’s Facebook posts stole the show (again), in which she made several alarming calls against her family
– The CE was forced to make public statement concerning the drama, saying that her daughter has been suffering some “health (mental) problems” and urged the public to give her more space
Our EiC Andrew Work wrote on HongKongers’ increasing awareness on the subject of governance.
China & World
Opposition against Taiwan Independence in Hong Kong dropped, study finds.
– The HKU Public Opinion Programme published a survey result on whether people agree to Taiwan becoming independent
– While those opposing the independence still outnumbered those supporting it, the net opposition (20.5%) was the lowest since 1995; The figure also saw a downward slope since 2007
