#FailedState
#LegCo Debates Preliminary $55B for "Lantau Tomorrrow" Landfill Project; Pro-Beijing Lawmakers "Eagerly" Participate
As almost all pro-demicracy lawmakers have left the Legislative Council (LegCo) after Beijing's forceful disqualifications, Chief Executive Carrie Lam effectively cleared the way for the funding approval of Lantau Tomorrow's preliminary study, by withdrawing all preceding government motions from the Legislature's agenda.
On Nov 27, 2020, the Finance Committee began debating on the funding proposal. It was claimed that the massive landfill project aimed to provide housing for at least 45,000 families as early as in mid-2030s.
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See also:
Over 200,000 Hongkongers to Emigrate to UK, British Govt Estimates in Leaked Paper
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/11/27/government-prepares-give-three-million-hong-kong-citizens-sanctuary/
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Without the pro-democracy members in the Legislature, pro-Beijing lawmakers seem much more "motivated" to participate in the discussion, with 20 of them requesting to speak as soon as the debate began on Nov 27.
The meeting closed after over 3 hours of discussions, with some lawmakers still in the queue waiting to speak; the item was not put to the vote until at least next week.
Secretary for Development Wong Wai-lun was the first to speak, and he stated the initial budget estimates for the Lantau Tomorrow project: HKD $640 billion, of which $234 billion was earmarked for railway construction.
With an estimated minimum of 45,000 private housing units, the government can still recover at least $700b in land sales, with a long-term increase in annual economic growth of over $147b. The current funding request covers the preliminary study, including environmental impacts, finances, and so on.
After the mass resignation of the pro-democracy lawmakers, the remaining members of the Finance Committee are nearly all pro-Beijing lawmakers, who now seemed much more eager to speak.
Former government official Regina Yip, who is also an Executive Council member, expressed concern for the project's timeline of completion.
Wong said that the goal is to complete the preliminary study within 42 months, with landfills beginning in 2027, and the first batch of land sales available in 2030, and commercial activities and housing sales may begin potentially as early as 2034.
Yip questioned whether the timeline might be "too optimistic", and requested the government to guarantee that the "study's report would not be delayed". She also pointed out that someone might request a judicial review, a possibility that the government cannot rule out.
Source: Stand News #Nov27
#LantauTomorrow #NewHongkongers #LandforChina #Landfill
#LegCo Debates Preliminary $55B for "Lantau Tomorrrow" Landfill Project; Pro-Beijing Lawmakers "Eagerly" Participate
As almost all pro-demicracy lawmakers have left the Legislative Council (LegCo) after Beijing's forceful disqualifications, Chief Executive Carrie Lam effectively cleared the way for the funding approval of Lantau Tomorrow's preliminary study, by withdrawing all preceding government motions from the Legislature's agenda.
On Nov 27, 2020, the Finance Committee began debating on the funding proposal. It was claimed that the massive landfill project aimed to provide housing for at least 45,000 families as early as in mid-2030s.
=======
See also:
Over 200,000 Hongkongers to Emigrate to UK, British Govt Estimates in Leaked Paper
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/11/27/government-prepares-give-three-million-hong-kong-citizens-sanctuary/
======
Without the pro-democracy members in the Legislature, pro-Beijing lawmakers seem much more "motivated" to participate in the discussion, with 20 of them requesting to speak as soon as the debate began on Nov 27.
The meeting closed after over 3 hours of discussions, with some lawmakers still in the queue waiting to speak; the item was not put to the vote until at least next week.
Secretary for Development Wong Wai-lun was the first to speak, and he stated the initial budget estimates for the Lantau Tomorrow project: HKD $640 billion, of which $234 billion was earmarked for railway construction.
With an estimated minimum of 45,000 private housing units, the government can still recover at least $700b in land sales, with a long-term increase in annual economic growth of over $147b. The current funding request covers the preliminary study, including environmental impacts, finances, and so on.
After the mass resignation of the pro-democracy lawmakers, the remaining members of the Finance Committee are nearly all pro-Beijing lawmakers, who now seemed much more eager to speak.
Former government official Regina Yip, who is also an Executive Council member, expressed concern for the project's timeline of completion.
Wong said that the goal is to complete the preliminary study within 42 months, with landfills beginning in 2027, and the first batch of land sales available in 2030, and commercial activities and housing sales may begin potentially as early as 2034.
Yip questioned whether the timeline might be "too optimistic", and requested the government to guarantee that the "study's report would not be delayed". She also pointed out that someone might request a judicial review, a possibility that the government cannot rule out.
Source: Stand News #Nov27
#LantauTomorrow #NewHongkongers #LandforChina #Landfill
The Telegraph
Government ready for 100 per cent increase in Hong Kong citizens coming to UK
Leaked internal briefing paper warns of 'rapid rise in the issue of British National (Overseas) passports since June'