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Finance and accounting approve funding from capital works reserve, Zhou Haoding advocates empowering zone committees to monitor district projects

2021-01-22T10:04:40.050Z


The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council today (22nd) reviewed the capital works reserve fund block allocation, involving more than 24.2 billion yuan, of which 13.7 billion is related to public works, including more than 16,000 projects. In addition, the government also recommends


Political situation

Written by: Di Ruimin Wu Zhuoan

2021-01-22 17:48

The last update date: 2021-01-22 17:48

The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council today (22nd) reviewed the capital works reserve fund block allocation, involving more than 24.2 billion yuan, of which 13.7 billion is related to public works, including more than 16,000 projects.

In addition, the government also proposes to adjust for inflation from 2012 to 2024, increasing the authorization limit for lower-level projects in the capital works plan from 30 million to 50 million Hong Kong dollars.

The Public Works Subcommittee approved the relevant recommendations last month. Tian Beichen, a subcommittee of the actual political round table, said that the re-estimation of the inflation increase from 12 to 24 should only increase by 44 million yuan. He criticized the increase to 50 million yuan as unreasonable. I'm just saying what you say, I don't know what to do for myself", indicating that I want to vote against it.

He later filed a temporary motion commonly known as "37A", requesting that the authorization limit be reduced to 44 million yuan.

The motion was rejected by 8 votes in favor and 11 votes against.

The appropriation was finally passed with 18 votes in favor, 2 votes against, and 1 abstention. Tian Beichen and Zheng Songtai voted against and Yao Sirong abstained.

Tian Beichen, the real political roundtable, stated that the re-estimation of the inflation increase from 12 to 24 should only add 44 million yuan, and it is unreasonable to criticize the increase to 50 million yuan.

(Profile picture/Photo by Zheng Zifeng)

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Xu Zhengyu, stated in his opening speech that the government has been approved by the Legislative Council six times in the past to adjust the authorized funding ceiling for public works projects based on the need for inflation adjustments. The last revision was in 2012.

Tian Beichen said that according to the inflation rate from 2008 to 19, the inflation rate from 12 to 24 is expected to be 44.5%, so it is reasonable for the government to raise the ceiling to 44 million yuan.

Regarding the government's explanation of the need to save funding time, Tian Beichen said, "You said that the Legislative Council will prevent the earth from turning, and it is so slow. Nowadays, the Legislative Council is actually very smooth, and some people talk too smoothly." It is believed that the government can pass over 40 million yuan of project funding to the Legislative Council for deliberation. "Everyone wants to do it, and it won't work."

Xu Zhengyu explained that inflation is only one of the factors, and future forecasts must be considered when chasing inflation lags behind. There is also a basket of factors including data on various construction projects and price changes in the overall labor market.

Tian Beichen retorted that, objectively speaking, inflation must be used as the indicator. The bureau used other difficulties in the mouth to increase the upper limit. It would only "let you slap the price" in disguised form. He frankly said that it is difficult to accept, "It's impossible to pass it. Let’s talk with the Legislative Council."

Tian Beichen later proposed a provisional motion to reduce the authorization limit to 44 million yuan. In the end, it was rejected by 8 votes in favor and 11 votes against. Those who voted for it included Zheng Songtai, Chen Peiran, DAB Liu Guoxun, Li Huiqiong, Huang Dingguang and Liang Zhixiang. , Tian Beichen and He Junyao, all voted against are all members of functional constituencies, including Xie Weiquan, Liberal Party Yi Zhiming and Zhang Yuren, Economic and Democrats Zhang Huafeng, Liu Yeqiang, Lin Jianfeng and Lu Weiguo, laborers Pan Zhaoping, and performance culture Ma Fengguo, Yao Sirong in the tourism industry and Chen Zhenying in the financial industry.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Xu Ching-yu, explained that inflation is only one of the factors, and there is also a basket of factors, including data on various construction projects and price changes in the overall labor market.

(Information Picture/Photographed by Li Zetong)

Zhou Hao Ding advocates empowering zone committees to supervise regional projects, Zheng Songtai rebukes incredible

The Federation of Trade Unions Lu Chung-hsiung said that the current situation in district councils is troublesome, and many citizens’ voices cannot reflect them. Some members’ useful opinions may also be opposed for political reasons. The government should consider listening to the opinions of other regional advisory structures.

Zhou Hao Ting also pointed out that effective monitoring of minor works can also be achieved at the district level. He suggested that the government could report the progress of the works to the zone committees in the future.

Zhou Hao Ting also emphasized that the supervision work cannot be delegated to the district councils. He criticized that the district councils are now ineffective and most of the district councillors are acting nonsense.

In response, Zhong Yazhi, Assistant Director of the Civil Affairs Department, agreed to expand the consultation and would take an open attitude and actively consider it. The area committee is one of the important consultation groups to make the project more suitable for residents' needs.

In his speech, Zheng Songtai, a passionate citizen, criticized the empowerment of the district committees as unthinkable. He also pointed out that the committees are appointed by the Civil Affairs Department and in principle should not be supervised by their own people.

Liang Meifen is concerned to ensure that other service reservoirs will not be demolished

The former chairman of the Public Works Subcommittee, Lu Weiguo, a member of the Pakatan Harapan engineering sector, spoke and reiterated that the increase in the authorization limit for D-level projects does not mean that public works projects under 50 million are "no imperial control", nor will it affect the legislative council’s ability to monitor. Dispel doubts.

Zheng Songtai pointed out that although some officials pointed out that there are not many D-level projects, he is concerned about how project controllers will strictly control project costs in the future.

Chen Haolian, deputy director of the Finance and Treasury Bureau, said that the control staff will strictly control the cost when exercising their ability. The Project Strategy and Control Office of the Development Bureau is discussing how to supervise the D-level project cost.

After Pakatan Harapan Leung is concerned about how the Water Supplies Department will ensure that other service reservoirs will not be demolished in the future, the Deputy Director of the Water Supplies Department Zhou Shiwei said that the Development Bureau has set up a working group to review whether there is room and measures for the relevant engineering procedures. The Water Supplies Department will conduct the work on the Bishop Hill Service Reservoir. For reinforcement and finishing work, the Department may consider opening it to the public under safe circumstances.

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01News

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council Xu Zhengyu Tian Beichen Zhou Hao Ting

Source: hk1

All news articles on 2021-01-22

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