Instead, the frustrated parents of abode seekers should make an effort to win public support. They should highlight the advantages of bringing their children to live in Hong Kong.

For example, they could argue that allowing their children to join them will provide a boost for schools faced with closure, thanks to declining student numbers. Abode seekers would also help to ease the social problems threatened by an ageing population. The public would support these arguments, and be more sympathetic. This, in turn, might prompt the government to rethink the issue, leading to a resolution.

ERIC CHU, Tsing Yi

Long march to nowhere

It is welcome news that Anson Chan Fang On-sang has decided join pro-democrats on the July 1 march ('Anson Chan teams with democrats on suffrage', June 26). But while I admire the former chief secretary for having the guts to voice her opinions, she will not affect the result of the chief executive election.

Of course, it is unlikely Mrs Chan will run for chief executive. The chances are close to zero, according to political analysts. Even if she did, the chances of her winning are nil, under the current unfair electoral system.

However, if she did take part and she won, democracy would remain an illusion, given the fact that Hong Kong's fate is in the hands of the central government. Still, to quote Stephen Hawking on his recent visit: 'While there's life, there is hope.'

PETER WEI, Kwun Tong

Rubbish ruins blue idyll

Days of clear blue skies have taken the place of the recent heavy rain. Taking advantage of the superb weather and clean air, a group of friends organised a boat trip out to the south side of Hong Kong.

From where we anchored near Stanley Prison, we saw a seemingly undisturbed and tranquil beach. However, as the adults and children swam excitedly towards the shore, we began to hesitate. The perfect setting - sunny skies, fine sand, clear water - was destroyed by the floating debris, mostly plastic and other non-biodegradable rubbish, around us and on the beach.

It is high time that Hong Kong had a mandatory recycling programme. If we cleaned up all our beaches, Hong Kong could be fine destination for tourists looking to soak up the sun.

RONNA CHAO HEFFNER, Kowloon Tong

Dereliction of duty

I cannot decide whom I find more contemptible: Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and the administration for ramming the Tamar project through or the Legislative Council for having given him $5.2 billion of taxpayers' money to finance it.

If all the letters the South China Morning Post has printed concerning the Tamar project are even vaguely representative of public sentiment, it is a gross dereliction of duty that our legislature should have approved this funding. It shows that lawmakers are just as self-serving and out of touch as the government.

I would be interested to know where the 10 absentee voters of the Legco Finance Committee were. Was the issue not sufficiently important to take priority over other appointments?

They are, presumably, the same legislators who Albert Cheng King-hon argued should get an outrageous 70per cent pay rise in his opinion-page piece the following morning ('Good work deserves good pay', June24).

To quote Mr Cheng: 'If legislators are too timid to seek public support for their pay rise, how can the public be assured that their representatives will fight for their rights?'

Fight for their rights, Mr Cheng? It is very clear that they have no intention of doing any such thing. They do not appear to represent anyone but themselves.

A final point to consider: such blatantly misleading claims as Mr Tsang's '70 per cent public support' would find the head of government in a democracy fighting to keep his job. If a company tried to raise funds using such claims, its directors would end up in jail.

TIM GALLAGHER, Causeway Bay

Top-class campaigners

Executive councillor Bernard Chan's comments in 'Making the most of Tamar' (June 23) give the impression that it is somehow suspect for middle-class, overseas-educated members of the community to getting involved in community action. His reference to 'expatriates' seems intended to raise a hiss from readers, too.

However, he is ignoring history. Many of the best-known social changes in China, Russia, France and the United States (to list the obvious) were started by just such middle-class community members, and they almost always included a smattering of non-locals. Even the Chinese revolutions of the 1910s and 1920s included a few foreigners.

Not that the Tamar campaigners are calling for a revolution - don't get me wrong. Rather, they have been working their tails off simply to offer options to the government's badly produced and poorly justified plans.

Mr Chan suggests that the community does not support the 'activists', but the evidence collected after the chief executive made a similar comment suggests the opposite.

He also suggests that activists should work with the government in the months ahead. Trust us, Mr Chan, that is all we have ever wanted to do, but it takes two to tango. If anything at all has come out of the continuing harbourfront campaigns, it is that community involvement in civic projects is essential.

The old model of pre-1990s 'consultation' is dead and gone, and for that I believe you can thank the middle-class, overseas-educated campaigners and the thousands of community members who supported them on Tamar. And by the way, Mr Chan, you'd be amazed how little some of them are paid.

JOHN BOWDEN, Save Our Shorelines

Judicial integrity safe

In his article 'Guarding judicial independence' (June 23), Greg So argues that the revelation that two members of the Civic Party are part-time judges raises fears for the integrity of our judicial system.

However, the United Nations' Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, adopted in 1985, affirms that members of the judiciary are 'like ordinary citizens, entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly', provided their conduct does not undermine judicial independence. In Britain, a part-time judge, or recorder, can even be a member of parliament.

We have to make a distinction between part- and full-time judges. A part-time judge is still a full-time lawyer and will resume his or her legal practice after the judicial appointment. If the political background of part-time judges does not undermine people's confidence in the British legal system, I cannot see why it should here.

ALAN WONG, Wan Chai

More than a provider

As a father-to-be, I feel rather upset by Helen Wong's letter 'Paternity leave unfair' (June 23). I know that many people in Hong Kong consider a baby the sole responsibility of the mother. The father, if lucky, gets to see the baby in the evening after coming home from work late, and his role appears merely to make sure there is enough money on the table. I think this is very sad.

But to come back to Ms Wong's letter, I would like to turn her reasoning around. Having a baby is very much a couple's choice. Looking after a family is their choice, not their employers'. Therefore, a mother-to-be should be allowed to take maternity leave only if her duties will not have to be shouldered by her colleagues and her employer's operations will not be affected.

Sounds reasonable, does it, Ms Wong? Now explain to my wife that she should take only a day or two of annual leave to give birth.

This is not physically possible. Therefore, there is maternity leave, which means my wife's colleagues will have to do her job, and her company will have to pay her salary while she is away.

Three to five days' paternity leave would be a great recognition that fathers do have a role to play in families other than bringing in the money. It may sound unbelievable, Ms Wong, but fathers care about their wives and children, and would love to have some time to care for them.

WOUTER VAN MARLE, Hunghom