In response to the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau’s comment on the “Harbour Primer”, Friends of the Harbour would like to clarify the three key issues raised:
1. Accusations made against the material used for this pamphlet was inaccurate
Contents used within the “Harbour Primer” pamphlet are provided by the Government departments (including government websites, Town Planning Board Paper 2880 and other government documents) and other official documents. Accusations were made for using the 1994 Town Planning Board papers where they were considered to be inaccurate. However, the Government did not release any official information to the public since then. The current Government’s website on reclamation only concerned with the Central Reclamation Phase III projects (http://www.hplb.gov.hk/cr3/eng/home/). Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau revised the total reclamation of 182 hectares which includes the final reclamation phases of Central, Wanchai and South East Kowloon. In respond to the accusation, the Government never release any official documents to verify to the public of their modified figure. Therefore, Friends of the Harbour welcome the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau to provide official documents to verify this statement.
2. Allegations that the pamphlet ignored the fact that the Government kept a close environmental monitoring and auditing subject by environmental protection legislation.
Friends of the Harbour is disappointed with this allegation as we believe that the Government did not act as a responsible body.
In a radio talk show dated 8th October 2003, Mr Yeung, a fisherman rang in to complain that since the dredging work started, fishes caught daily was reduced from 300-400 kg to around 50kg. Other fishing groups also reported certain fishes contained heavy metals and requested that relevant body should examine all seafood and provide a comprehensive report to the public. If public intake seafood which consists of heavy metals and other toxic pollutants in the long term, it could lead to serious health implications.
Friends of the Harbour is disappointed that the Government went ahead with the dredging work ignoring and under-estimating the impact caused to the habitat in the sea.
3. Allegations that the Government permits change of land use
A report from Wen Wei Po newspaper dated 13th October 2003 demonstrated that the land in front of IFC Phase I had been turned into IFC Phase II. Therefore, we have adequate reasons to believe the possibility of City Hall and Memorial Garden to be rezoned for commercial use in the future.
(In 13th October 2003, Wen Wei Po reported that the Chairman of the Conversancy Association stated that public has difficulty in trusting the Government especially issues related in changing land uses. He also stated that when the Government started work on Central Reclamation Phase I, the Government assured the public that a few piers will be provided for the in front of IFC Phase I and a promenade, sadly, the public was once again let down.)
2nd December 2003
Hilary Chu
President
Friends of the Harbour