In response to media enquiries about the statement issued by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislative Council (Legco) on the Sai Wan Ho development, a Government spokesman gave the following reply today (May 11):
"The Legco's PAC has a long history and solid legal basis, and these fundamentals will continue. The Government has all along been proactively co-operating with the PAC and supporting its work and will continue to do so. The Government is grateful for the continuous efforts made and time spent by the PAC.
Regarding the Sai Wan Ho development, the role and functions of the Legco's PAC and the Government-appointed Independent Committee of Inquiry (ICI) are different. Their focuses and remits are also different, and there is no question of one body being subordinate to the other.
In the light of public concerns that it might not be sufficiently clear as to how the Building Authority (BA) had exercised his discretionary powers, the ICI on the Sai Wan Ho development was set up to further examine whether the former BA had exercised discretionary powers properly, and to identify areas of improvement.
The Government has already clearly stated its acceptance of the recommendations in the PAC's report, and has been following them up actively."
Ends/Thursday, May 11, 2006
Issued at HKT 20:53
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