These projects are therefore rendered much less attractive than they would otherwise be. Thus, the land premiums that could be charged would be lower; hence, the public purse would be deprived of income it could otherwise have received.

As a 'semi-public-sector' entity, Ocean Park moving into the hotel business crowds out private-sector investment in nearby areas and concurrently devalues nearby sites for hotel development.

Whether Ocean Park will pay full land premiums for the hotels is a moot point.

If the park is to compete with the private sector, then it should do so on a level playing field and not be given government loans and guarantees.

Ocean Park should share its success with its neighbours and create a win-win situation. For a mid-market hotel in nearby areas, being able to offer a package - including a free shuttle-bus service and tickets to the park - would, I imagine, be an attractive proposition to prospective investors.

The hotels, in turn, will encourage further development of restaurants, shops, bars and other ancillary services.

Such a multiplier effect would go some way to justifying the public subsidies the park receives.

Two key pillars of Hong Kong's success are a full and thriving private sector and a low-tax system, the viability of which is highly dependent on high land premiums received by the government. A project that impacts on both of these surely cannot be good for Hong Kong.

Our officials must understand that, despite Ocean Park's clever public relations, what is good for Ocean Park is not necessarily good for Hong Kong or even Southern District as a whole.

Carolyn Fong, Shouson Hill

Government got it all wrong

The Tsang administration got it all wrong concerning the nationality, salaries and the selection and recruitment process of the political appointees.

As I understand it, one of the primary objectives of creating these posts of deputy ministers and political assistants is to provide a channel to groom potential candidates so that they can, in time, aspire to become ministers and deputy ministers with the necessary relevant political know-how and experience.

That being the case, it is only right to expect all those who were appointed to lack relevant political experience and, as such, they should all be offered a salary at the minimum starting point of their respective pay scales. They may advance to higher salary points later, and gradually, as they gain more experience on the job and prove their ability.

Those who are unwilling to accept a wage cut or reduced benefits, compared to what they enjoyed in the private sector, should not be appointed.

The important point to bear in mind is that these are political appointments and, as such, there are pros and cons to being appointed.

Without mentioning the pros, the cons are obvious: that if you want to become a political appointee, you may have to accept a lower starting salary, give up your foreign passport if you hold one (the public demands this) and be ready to disclose whatever information is relevant and is in the public interest.

To me, it is so straightforward I cannot understand how the administration got it wrong.

Nicholas Low, Tseung Kwan O

Maids are free to snub jobs

I refer to the letter by Bill Bloodgood ('More underpaid than pampered', June 18).

I think we have all heard enough on this subject. We are all working in different jobs at different levels.

There are the road sweepers and cleaners who work in heavy downpours to clean the streets to ease access, and the toilet attendants who survive on a minimum wage. These local workers have to pay for all their overheads and somehow they survive. They don't go around whining all the time.

I don't hear your correspondent crying out for them. Let the domestic helpers make their own choices, take the job offer and deal with the duties or reject the offer. Hong Kong and the Philippines are both free societies.

Brenda Lau, Tin Hau

We can still save marine habitat

We are concerned by the report that CLP Power has contracted to purchase gas for the liquefied natural gas terminal to be located at the Soko Islands, which the government has not approved ('CLP signs pact on LNG supply for Lantau plant,' June 21). We are also concerned that the project may now cost HK$12.2 billion, versus the original projection of HK$8 billion. So both the environment and the consumer will be made to suffer for the economic benefit of a monopoly.

CLP Power's action is designed to leave our government with no choice. Our administration should consider the possibility of contracting some of the 4 trillion to 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas at Husky Energy's site at Liwan 3-1-1 in the South China Sea. A pipeline from the well to the Black Point Power Station would solve two problems. First, the destruction of the valuable Soko Islands marine habitat would be averted.

Second, consumers would not face substantial increases in their electricity costs to cover the capital costs of the terminal, which may now cost 50 per cent more than originally projected.

Eric Bohm, chief executive officer, WWF Hong Kong

Cold calls not acceptable

David Schaus asked if it was an acceptable business practice to conduct a sales or service call late on a Sunday evening ('Farce of PCCW sales call at 10.30 pm', June 17). The answer is: no, it is not acceptable. I have had them in my building at the same time and all I can say to PCCW is what a pity you can't be as enthusiastic about keeping the service appointments you make with customers as you apparently seem to be about allowing salesmen to go cold calling.

PCCW has disturbed me on more than one occasion and prompted me to hang a sign on my doorbell - 'No Salespersons'.

Sandra Wyatt, Discovery Bay

Blame the men

The report citing the planet's continuing population explosion once again puts the onus on women ('Population steaming towards 7b by 2012', June 21). These studies always advocate education for women when it is obvious that men need educating even more.

In too many underdeveloped countries, it is the feckless male of the species who does as he pleases when dictating sexual terms, forcing pregnancies on women (refusing to use condoms) and mindlessly procreating.

That cliched word about 'empowering' women so they can dictate the size of their families, unfortunately, has made only small inroads in long-entrenched patriarchies everywhere.

Isabel Escoda, Lantau