Bit by bit, we're moving from saving to enjoying the harbour
The Society for Protection of the Harbour appreciates your excellent editorial ('A missed opportunity to protect our harbour', February 22).
While more could have been done by the now defunct Harbourfront Enhancement Committee over the past five years, to be fair to its hard-working and dedicated members - to whom Hongkongers owe a debt of gratitude - I must point out that the committee had some meaningful achievements.
It helped to cut down drastically the size of the government's reclamation projects, including saving Kowloon Bay from total destruction. It promulgated the Harbourfront Planning Principles which, if complied with, will both save the harbour from excessive reclamation and give Hong Kong an outstanding harbourfront.
Further, it persuaded the government to reduce the intensity of development on the Central reclamation scheme from 9.24 million sq ft of gross floor area to 4.6 million sq ft (including Tamar). Still more needs to be done, of course.
The importance of the Harbourfront Enhancement Committee - and the harbour commission that it proposed setting up - is that at least the government is officially committed to listen to the views of the community.
Our society has for many years been advocating a harbour authority similar to the Sydney Harbour Development Authority, which enjoys statutory powers.
However, passing the necessary legislation will take some time.