Walder faces calls for resignation over XRL delaysPressure mounts on MTR chief

LAWMAKERS have put further pressure on MTR Corp (港鐵) Chief Executive Jay Walder to

step down.

They wanted him to accept responsibility for the delay in the construction of the Ex-press Rail Link (XRL, 高鐵香港段).

New People’s Party (新民黨) lawmaker Mi-chael Tien Puk-sun (田北辰) accused Walder of serious negligence in not properly monitoring the project. Walder did not check with project director Chew Tai-chong (周大滄) on whether the schedule could be met.

“Did he [Walder] ask Chew the necessary questions to check [if the team could deliver]?” Tien, the chairman of the Legislative Council’s

(立法會) railway subcommittee, asked. If he did not then it was a serious neglect of his offi cial duties, Tien said.

Democratic Party lawmaker Wu Chi-wai (胡志偉) said Walder should accept responsibility and step down. Wu said transport secretary An-thony Cheung Bing-leung ( 張炳良) should also be held responsible. He added that he plans to move a motion of no confi dence against Cheung in Legco.

The MTRC earlier said that the 26-kilome-tre Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shen-zhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is likely be completed in 2017 instead of 2015.

The company blamed the black rainstorm in March and unforeseeable challenges.

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MTR CEO Jay Walder (centre) is under fire because the XRL work is nine months behind schedule. (Sing Tao Daily)

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Lawmakers want MTR Corp chief executive Jay Walder to accept responsibility for the delay in the construction of the Express Rail Link and step down. One accused him of a serious neglect of his official duties because he did not check with the project director on whether the schedule could be met. The 26-kilometre Express Rail Link is likely to be completed in 2017 instead of 2015. MTRC blamed the heavy rain and unforeseeable challenges for the delay.

Key Idea

P03● Text : Anvil Ong

● Photos : Sing Tao Daily

Choose the best answer:1M: a situation in which something does not

happen when it should

E: The staff apologised for the delay.

E: You should leave home early because there may be delays on the train.

delay (n) 延誤

2M: the process of building or making something,

especially roads, tunnels, bridges, etc

E: Work began on the construction of the new school last year.

E: The library is still under construction.

construction (n) 建造

3M: failure to take enough care over something

that one is responsible for

E: The manager accused his secretary of negligence.

E: The accident was caused by negligence.

negligence (n) 疏忽

4M: a list of the times when events are planned to

happen

E: We are ahead of schedule because we work fast.

E: Everyone must follow this schedule.

schedule (n) 進度表

M: a formal suggestion made, discussed, and voted on at a meeting

E: Teachers voted against the motion to raise school fees.

E: The motion was passed at Legco.

motion (n) 動議6

5M: relating to a position of responsibility

E: Government House is the chief executive’s offi cial residence.

E: What is your offi cial title in that company?

offi cial (adj) 公務上的

7M: that one cannot predict

E: You have to be prepared for some unforeseeable trouble.

E: Damaging the environment will bring unforeseeable consequences.

unforeseeable (adj) 不可預見的

Vocabulary Reading ComprehensionM : Meaning E : Example

1. Michael Tien blamed Jay Walder

for _____.

A. not checking with the project director whether the schedule could be met

B. the black rainstormsC. stopping the construction worksD. not telling the government what

happened

2. Who is the project director?

A. Tien Puk-sunB. Chew Tai-chongC. Jay Walder D. Wu Chi-wai

3. How long will the Express Rail

Link (Hong Kong section) be?

A. 26 kilometres B. 2.6 kilometresC. 260 kilometresD. 2,600 kilometres

4. What do the lawmakers want

Walder to do?

A. resignB. apologiseC. pay compensationD. fi nd out who is to blame

5. Government offi cials who make

serious mistakes usually step

_____.

A. down B. forC. toD. no word is needed

6. Do you have any _____ for the

summer holidays?

A. strategiesB. methodsC. tactics D. plans

Answers on P12

Friday 9 May 2014

LS in a nutshell Learning Card

The Hong Kong government is a

major shareholder of the company.

Who is a major shareholder

of the MTRC?

The Express Rail Link Hong Kong section (高鐵香港段) will connect with the 16,000-km national high-speed railway network. Work on the Hong Kong section of the Express Rail Link started in January 2010. The 26-km long section runs from its West Kowloon terminus connected to MTR Kowloon Station (九龍站) and Austin Station (柯士甸站) to Shenzhen’s (深圳) Futian Station (福田站).

Knowledge