The government has got the go-ahead (note 1) to build the giant Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge after the Court of Appeal overturned (推翻) a lower court ruling quashing (使無效) the environmental protection director's approval of the project.
Welcoming the decision, Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng Yu-wah said the government will soon seek funding (要求撥款) from the Legislative Council. The aim is to start construction by the year-end so the bridge can be open for use (note 2) in 2016, as scheduled.
Also on the agenda is increased manpower and a revision of work methods to cut work time, though this could add a further HK$6.5 billion to the multi-billion-dollar project. The ruling means dozens of construction projects earlier put on hold (note 3) will now likely go through the usual vetting (審批) process.
A three-judge bench at the Court of Appeal unanimously (一致) overturned the Court of First Instance ruling - passed in April - on a judicial review (司法覆核) alleging government failure to conduct proper environmental impact assessments of two key elements of the project.
The review was filed in January last year by Tung Chung resident Chu Yee-wah, 65, a sometime Civic Party volunteer.
Asked yesterday if she will lodge an appeal (note 4), Chu said: "I won't get involved in it any longer. I have no intention to stir it up (note 5). But they told me about it and I was unclear."
As to who told her to file a review, she said: "Whoever told me to do it, I won't disclose it. I have been fooled. Let it be (note 6)."
She spoke of being worried earlier that work on the bridge's Hong Kong section would affect the environment (環境), and thus the health of the elderly and children in particular.
From good to better English:
(note 1) go-ahead=許可, 准許。a vigorous go-ahead company=一個興旺發達的公司。 go-ahead signal=放行信號。
(note 2) open for use=開放給公眾人士使用。Open=開放；公開, 無私；寬大。open fire (on, at)= (向…)開炮。open a debate=開始辯論。open the door to Victor=給Victor大開方便之門，給Victor造機會。
(note 3) put on hold=暫停 ( In a state of temporary interruption; In a state of postponement or delay)。例句: They had to put Victor on hold while they looked up his bank account=銀行職員要Victor等等，他們要先看看他戶口的情況。
(note 4) lodge an appeal=上訴。Lodge=提出(報告、抗議等), 授與, 打在。A bullet lodged in Bo Bo’s thigh.=子彈打進Bo Bo的大腿裡。lodge a protest against Victor=向Victor提出抗議。
(note 5) stir it up=搞事 (Rouse to action, incite, provoke)。例句: If the strikers in Kowloon Tong aren't careful they'll stir up a riot=在九龍塘唐示威的人事如果不小心, 有可能會引起暴動。
stir up a hornets' nest=製造麻煩 (Make trouble, cause a commotion)
(note 6) Let it be=算了, 罷了。let sleeping dogs lie=不要製造麻煩 (avoid stirring up trouble)。
Victor’s View: Environmentalists or politicians use bureaucratic procedures to delay the construction of major public works projects that will provide jobs for the poor and help Hong Kong prosper should be condemned.
(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)
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