Ocean Park Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2021 to be gazetted

A bill to reposition Ocean Park to prioritize its conservation role will be gazetted on Friday.

The bill will take forward a HK$6.8 billion plan endorsed by lawmakers last March to reposition the park.

The Ocean Park Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2021 seeks to amend the Ocean Park Corporation Ordinance to provide clear legal backing for the Ocean Park Corporation to take forward the future strategy of the Park, the government said.

It will be introduced into the Legislative Council for First and Second Readings on June 23.

The amendments will expand and expressively state the functions of the corporation to include conservation on top of recreation and education, and empower the corporation to carry out relevant functions outside Ocean Park.

One of the amendments will also expressively empower the corporation to enter into a contract or an arrangement with any other person in relation to the performance of its functions so as to enable the corporation to outsource part of Ocean Park's operation.

The others seek to streamline the relevant approval process relating to the use of the Ocean Park Trust Fund by the corporation for taking forward its functions and to repeal the Ocean Park Bylaw to cater for the new operation mode of the Park.

The government explained it undertook a rethink exercise in mid-2020 to chart the way forward for Ocean Park with the corporation.

Under the future strategy announced in early 2021, the Park will be transformed into a travel destination and leisure zone with a focus on conservation and education, grounded in nature and complemented by adventure and entertainment elements to enhance the visitor experience, the government said.

It has also secured the approval of the Finance Committee of LegCo at its meeting in March for the relevant financial arrangements

The current legislative amendment exercise is the next step for enabling the OPC to take forward the future strategy, the government pointed out.