Island's victory party may have to be moveable feast
Lee Lai-shan's Olympic victory has brought glory to fellow villagers at Cheung Chau . . . and a big headache: finding a restaurant big enough for a victory party.
Cheung Chau rural committee is planning to hold a banquet to celebrate San San's win.
Initial proposals include setting up at least 70 tables for more than 800 Cheung Chau villagers and guests to have a feast.
Guests to be invited for the treat, apart from Lee's family, include community leaders. There are about 40,000 residents on the island.
However, the biggest restaurant on the island can provide only 40 tables and there will be nowhere near adequate for the occasion.
Kwong Kwok-wai, Cheung Chau district board and rural committee member, said: 'We may have to hold the party in different restaurants, or have separate sessions in one restaurant.
'San San may have to dash from one place to another, or between sessions. We hope we can sort it out and villagers can join the banquet and share the great happiness.' Another option would be to hold the party outdoors.
Guests were seated at 20 tables on the island when San San won a silver medal at the 1994 Asian Games.
The committee will have a meeting on Sunday with kai fongs and other groups at Cheung Chau to discuss details of the celebrations.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Ferry has reserved a triple-decker to carry San San to Cheung Chau for the festivities.
A spokesman said it was the company's biggest boat and could carry more than 1,000 passengers.
