Hui in fresh row with lawmakers

Chief secretary refuses to attend meeting on arts hub

Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan triggered a fresh row with legislators yesterday by refusing to attend or send a representative to their next meeting on the West Kowloon Cultural District project.

His refusal came as the government secured an indication from two of the three shortlisted bidders for the project - Henderson Land and a joint venture of Cheung Kong and Sun Hung Kai Properties - that they wished to remain in the bidding process.

The third bidder, Sunny Development, a consortium of Sino Land, Wharf (Holdings) and Chinese Estates Holdings, said on Thursday it was staying in the race.

The Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands wrote to the Legislative Council's subcommittee for the project that Mr Hui 'does not see the need for him or the administration to meet with the subcommittee at this stage' given that it had already participated in previous meetings to explain policy and exchange views with subcommittee members about the project. The meeting will be held on Friday.

'We are aware of the subcommittee's views on the West Kowloon Cultural District project,' the letter said, adding that the government would take into account the views of the Legislative Council, alongside other parties, before formulating the next steps for the project.