Taxpayers should not pay more than their fair share for overpriced incinerator
Tom Yam calls on legislators to scrutinise the sums before any approval
Tomorrow, the Legislative Council's Finance Committee faces a crucial vote on whether to fund the Environment Bureau's mega incinerator to be built on Shek Kwu Chau island. The bureau wants HK$18.24 billion in initial capital and HK$402 million per year in recurring costs over 15 years for an incinerator capable of burning 3,000 tonnes of waste per day.
Have legislators scrutinised the numbers? It's up to them to do so because, despite demanding such a staggering amount of taxpayers' money, the bureau has repeatedly issued misleading information on the project, and refused until April to release cost data.
An analysis of the cost breakdown raises serious concerns. First, the bureau has located the incinerator on an isolated island with no infrastructure, instead of near an existing landfill. This will cost an extra HK$3.2 billion, or 18 per cent of the initial capital, comprising HK$2.43 billion for reclamation and HK$774 million for electric systems on the island and laying cables to a power substation on Lantau.
Construction will also take two years longer, contradicting Environment Secretary Wong Kam-sing's claims of urgency in building the incinerator.