Speech by C for T at Celebration Dinner for the 10^th Anniversary of the Intelligent Transportation Systems – HK (English only)

        Below is a speech by the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Joseph Lai, at the celebration dinner for the 10^th Anniversary of the Intelligent Transportation Systems on August 26, 2011 (English only):

        Members of the ITS-Hong Kong, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

        Good evening.  I have the greatest delight to be here tonight to observe a happy occasion and find some distinguished companies.  First of all, if I may say, on behalf of the ITS-Hong Kong and Transport Department, welcome our guests in Chinese歡迎從內地來的朋友.  Tonight is truly a joyous occasion as it marks the first decade of ITS-Hong Kong.  It is confiding in me running a professional association in Hong Kong or any part of the world is a not an easy job. 

        You have your day time work, social life and business commitments.  So, it is difficult.  And to do that for any sustained period and still remains active and relevant is doubly difficult.  To do that for 10 years is really a mighty challenge.  But, I think all of you in ITS-Hong Kong have demonstrated how in fact it can be done for the past 10 years.  You have been very active in the ITS, not only in Hong Kong but also internationally.  Your membership has grown over the years.  You have played a big part in promoting the development and the awareness of the application of ITS again not only in Hong Kong but also overseas. 

        And perhaps most importantly, you have acted as a most valuable bridge of communication between the Government and the IT industry.  And so, you should be justly proud of, and be warmly congratulated on, the tremendous achievements made in the first 10 years of your existence. 

        In the past ten years, I think you also have witnessed a stepped-up effort by the Government in the use and the deployment of ITS in the operation of not only my Department but also in the operation of other works related departments.  But because you are all experts in the field, I am in a way preaching to the converted and that makes my job slightly easier tonight.  So, I don’t have to explain to you, for example, why it is that in a crowded, small but heavily populated place like Hong Kong, traffic and transport management presents its unique challenge, and why it is that therefore in this particular context the useful deployment of ITS is essential.  It is not only a useful but indeed a powerful tool and a tool which is used by the Government so that it can do its job better.  It is also a tool which can be used by the travelling public so that it will make their day-to-day commuting much easier.  But you know all that.  So, I don’t have to illustrate by points.  Similarly, I don’t think you need to be reminded of all the works that we have actually done in the past 10 years, including, for example, the development and the deployment of the Journey Time Indicator System, the Transport Information System, and of course you know also very well that in the years ahead we will continue spending more on this part.  We will be spending for example one billion Hong Kong dollars on the development of the Traffic and Incident Management System and you will also be aware that the Speed Map Panels are now being implemented phase by phase.  Many more projects are in the pipeline.  You know all that. 

        So, what I am trying to say really is just that in the years ahead the department and the government as a whole will continue to deploy necessary resources in implementing more ITS projects to facilitate the travelling public.  And on this, I believe we share the same vision as the vision of ITS-Hong Kong.  And, it also means that we were not only close partners in the past years but will continue be close partners in the years to come. 

        We do look forward to continuing cooperation and collaboration with the ITS-Hong Kong and its members in the years to come.  Thank you and I wish you many happy anniversaries in the years to come.