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Getting it right on West Kowloon

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Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan put on a brave face when he announced a fundamental rethink of the West Kowloon Cultural District project in late February. He denied the project would have to start from scratch, and maintained that a relaunch would in fact speed up the construction of the cultural complex.

He explained that a review of the arts and cultural facilities by a consultative committee he chaired would provide greater flexibility and scope for the building and financing of the complex.

Speaking during Legislative Council question time last week, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen dismissed claims that a rethink of the project was a setback for strong governance.

'It is widely known that the West Kowloon project is one closest to my heart. To start afresh on this landmark project was a truly difficult choice. However, it is exactly because of the project's far-reaching implications that extra prudence is called for.

'We should have the courage to review and rectify our decisions; and this in itself demonstrates our commitment to 'people-based government'.'

Mr Tsang's admission of failure - in seeking public support for the single-developer model - has set the stage for taking the cultural complex back to the drawing board.

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