A spokesman for the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau said today (July 5) that the report on increasing the extent of reclamation under Central Reclamation Phase III (CRIII) for the construction of a military berth for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in today's Apple Daily was factually incorrect.
Question:
"The construction of the military berth for the PLA will not increase the area of reclamation under CRIII," the spokesman said.
"The area of reclamation will be exactly the same as gazetted under the Foreshore and Sea-bed (Reclamations) Ordinance.
"The report which claimed that the Government had issued a variation order to expand the area of reclamation by 1,700 square metres for the construction of the military berth was also inaccurate.
"We confirmed in writing to the reporter of the newspaper that the construction of the military berth would not increase the area of reclamation under CRIII. Despite our confirmation, the newspaper insisted on publishing the report headlined 'Government breaks promise by expanding reclamation area under CRIII by 1,700 metres'. We regret that the newspaper went ahead and published this report," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, July 5, 2004
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