Regina Leung and Staff Reporters
4:14pm, Oct 06, 2010
4:14pm, Oct 06, 2010
Some lawmakers on Wednesday challenged a Department of Justice statement that said they could not override an order by the chief executive to extend the Tseung Kwan O landfill into the Clearwater Bay Country Park.
The lawmakers plan to put forward a motion calling for a repeal of the order at a Legislative Council meeting next Wednesday.
The order - Country Park (Amendment) Order 2010 - was issued on May 31 by Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was tabled in Legco on June 9. It is scheduled to come into force on November 1.
But on Tuesday, the Department of Justice said that even if the motion was passed, neither the chief executive nor legislators could repeal the order.
In a meeting with Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau Tang-wah on Wednesday, Democratic Party legislator Emily Lau Wai-hing said lawmakers might have to resolve the issue in court. Their rights as lawmakers were being challenged, she added.
“We would find lawyers, legislators or even residents [of Tseung Kwan O] to help us,” Lau said.
In response, Yau said the government’s plan to expand the landfill was difficult, but necessary.
“We need to go through a lot of procedures before it can be expanded. We will try our best to explain to legislators why we need to expand it and persuade them to accept it,” Yau said.
He said the government would also study issues arising from amending the Country Parks Ordinance.
The Environment Protection Department has proposed further extending the existing landfill area. This includes designating about five hectares of land in Clear Water Bay Country Park in Tseung Kwan O Area 137 for landfill extensions. It said the proposal could extend the lifespan of the current site for six years.
But many people oppose the proposal because of the environmental impact this will have on the country park and nearby residents.
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