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The government is requesting the Legislative Council to approve the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Project's HK$19.6bn extra funding. In no doubt, the project will definitely facilitate the social and economic integrations of Hong Kong with the Pearl River Delta as well as other major cities in the mainland.
The project, indeed, is at the point beyond which we must continue the current course because winding up is prohibitively expensive and impossible. The city, however, falls into hot debates on two dilemmas-cost overrun issue and "co-location of boundary control".
運房局於12月3日向立法會申請為廣深港高速鐵路香港段超支196億元追加撥款。事實上全國近年高鐵網絡發展成熟，民眾對於高鐵帶來的方便亦表示讚賞。目前高鐵面對的爭議，主要來自超支和原來的「一地兩檢」設計。高鐵工程已經到了「欲罷不能」的地步，工程一旦擱淺或撤建，損失只會更加慘重。
Some lawmakers concern about co-location of boundary control arrangement would allow mainland enforcement officers to perform their duties in Hong Kong. The arrangement, however, is not a new concept as US and Canada are doing that for years by created a joint nations Integrated Border Enforcement Teams. It is a crucial part of the entire project since such arrangement would allow passengers to go through immigration and customs procedures for both mainland and Hong Kong SAR in same place.
在「一地兩檢」問題上反對派認為，容許內地執法機構在香港境內作邊檢會破壞一國兩制。筆者認為實在言過其實。「一地兩檢」的安排在世界上其他地區也存在，美國於加拿大境內設置邊境檢查站，乘客只要在那裡做好過境檢查，便可一勞永逸直達美國。同樣，在香港的總站設置內地邊境檢查，它的作用就只限於邊境檢查而已。市民可以乘搭高鐵直達內地，何其便捷。如果「一地兩檢」未能落實，要在內地下車處理邊檢，亦即代表高鐵徹底失去它的原意。
The latest construction cost of the rail link will be HK$84.42 billion and is expected to be finished in the third quarter of 2018. If the cost exceeds HK$84.42 billion, the MTR Corp. will bear the extra cost. Still, the SAR government is responsible to explain clearly to the public about the terms and conditions, which party should be responsible and bear the costs of liability on the delay and cost overruns. And the administration should play an active role to monitor the project to prevent unreasonable cost overruns, delays, and being slaughtered.
工程另一個迫切問題是超支和延誤。目前高鐵工程超支約200億，我對政府在工程開支上提出造價封頂表示支持，不過政府仍要仔細向公眾解釋條款，以免被有心人造文章。而超支理由與費用承擔的安排以及責任問題，我支持應透過雙方仲裁去解決，但政府必須顯示出有決心向港鐵追討責任，而港鐵也必須顯示出願意承擔。
The majority of Hong Konger are not willing to see the project fail to materialize as it has already cost about HK$50 billion and is 75 per cent finished. People would be outraged about the project being suspended if lawmakers reject the funding request.
廣大市民也不願意見到高鐵爛尾，隨着未來國家重大戰略部署「一帶一路」的落實施行，粵深港高鐵的作用將會更加突出，其重要性不是一時一地和短期利益所能比擬的。■陳威雄
隔星期五見報
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