'I just went online and looked at a photo of the clock tower,' she said. 'If we do not allow members to discuss the issue today, there may be no point discussing it at next week's meeting because the clock tower may no longer exist by then.'

Aside from pontificating about why the clock tower should be preserved, the debate also gave a chance for some lawmakers to wax nostalgic about their Star Ferry memories.

While social activists of the '60s and '70s like Frederick Fung Kin-kee reminisced about past protests, unionist Wong Kwok-hing had a romantic story to share. 'I used to take the Star Ferry and then the tram every Sunday morning to go to meet and try to woo a girl,' he said. That girl, he said, is now his wife.

Richard Li lauded for 'fading in'

Richard Li Tzar-kai, the PCCW chairman known as a controversial mover and shaker in the world of business, has made waves after diving into the sea of politics in the Election Committee poll.

A former senior government official was full of admiration for Mr Li's high-profile campaign in the information technology sub-sector election during the last few days before balloting. 'You may not like Richard. But the way he came out to campaign has significantly boosted the turnout in some sub-sectors. Anson Chan [Fang On-sang] will be fading out after she decided not to run. It's great to see dignitaries like Richard Li fading in.'

As to whether Mr Li would nominate chief executive challenger Alan Leong Kah-kit, she conceded: 'I bet he cannot afford not to support Donald Tsang Yam-kuen at the end of the day.'

Glee at poor showing of Li Ka-shing's staff

Some tycoons in the dog-eat-dog business community watched with glee the dismal showing by staff of Li Ka-shing in Sunday's election. Of the 11 candidates related to Cheung Kong (Holdings) or Hutchison Whampoa, only five won - the poorest performance among the four leading property developers.

Tycoon James Tien Pei-chun, chairman of the Liberal Party, said the results clearly showed businessmen and professionals were unhappy with Mr Li's conglomerates. 'Perhaps they felt that Siu Chiu [the nickname of Mr Li's eldest son, Victor Li Tzar-kuoi] has been a bit too tight with money, which has made it difficult for them to make profits in business deals,' Mr Tien said.