Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (March 26):
Reporter: Mrs Lam, is the Government likely to drop the tunnel toll motion and any obstacles that the officials and the administration are encountering on this matter now? Secondly, an official from Taiwan did say it may issue a travel alert to Hong Kong if Hong Kong goes ahead with the extradition law amendment. Would you take it as a warning in a legitimate way to even change the plans that the Government is proposing now?
The Chief Executive: As far as the Government's position on the rationalisation of cross-harbour traffic through the three tunnels, since my announcement in the Policy Address last October, for over four, five months, the Secretary for Transport and Housing and his colleagues have made huge efforts to explain, to clarify, to address concerns and also lately to introduce an additional improvement by setting up the smart traffic fund. At the end of day, if members of the Legislative Council for various reasons could not support the current proposal, then what we could do as the Government is to respect that particular decision. But what I'm saying is that should not be interpreted as a means of Government weakening her governance because this is a very practical way of taking forward things that have been bothering people for a long time. As to what will then happen with the traffic congestion in Hong Kong, you have to wait a while. We will find an opportunity, an early opportunity, to give a detailed account of the present situation and the future measures that we will adopt to address this traffic congestion problem.
As far as the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance amendments are concerned, I do not wish to comment on any particular comments made by external parties, except to say that we are doing it really to ensure public safety and to ensure justice is done. So, we will continue with our work. The Secretary for Security has run round various chambers and organisations to listen to their views and concerns. When we are in a position to announce what then will happen, as far as the legislative amendments are concerned, we will do so in an early opportunity.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Follow this news feed: East Asia