According to our record, the park office has not received any application from the committee during the past year for using the park's facilities.

It only received an application from an organisation 'Women Coalition of HKSAR' on April 19 of this year. This was an application for use of the bandstand of Victoria Park on November 6 (not November 12) for holding a parade.

Since the application by the coalition for the use of the bandstand had clashed with an earlier confirmed booking of RTHK's City Forum, the coalition's application was rejected on May 4 on the grounds that it clashed with the prior booking of another hirer.

Meanwhile, the coalition applied on August 2 for the use of another Leisure and Cultural Services Department facility (Southorn Playground in Wan Chai) for holding the parade on November 12 and approval was given on October 27.

As regards the application from the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation for the use of the central lawn of Victoria Park for holding 'Standard Chartered Arts in the Park, Mardi Gras 2011' from November 10 to 13, it was received on December 9, 2010 and the application was accepted subsequently.

We have not been able to accept the coalition's application for the use of the bandstand at the park simply because prior approval had been granted for another party.

We have not received any other application for the use of other parts of the park for the purpose of holding the parade.

On the other hand, as we said, we approved the coalition's application for using the Southorn Playground for the parade.

There is therefore no question of discrimination and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has processed all applications on a fair basis and in accordance with our established procedures.

From November 2010 to October 2011, we have approved five applications which have used Victoria Park as the gathering point for a public procession.

Winnie Lee Fung-ming, chief leisure manager (Hong Kong East), Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Kadoorie family must have rethink

I could not agree more with Candy Tam's letter ('CLP Power should not bulldoze HQ', November 7).

CLP Power has used its favoured position as a government-sponsored monopoly in Kowloon and the New Territories for many years to reap large profits and now wishes to make even bigger profits by tearing down its own headquarters in Argyle Street, a grade one listed historic building, not to mention numerous trees, in yet another environmentally damaging redevelopment project.

I am surprised that one of CLP's major shareholders, the Kadoorie family, who are held in high regard by many people in Hong Kong for being responsible and considerate to both their employees and customers, should allow this redevelopment to proceed.

However, a glance at the 2010 list of the major shareholders in CLP Power, shows that it includes major international banks, most notably the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited with 21 per cent of 'issued shares capital', a significant holding in CLP Power.

It should therefore come as no surprise that CLP is under pressure to maximise its profits. Pity the poor banks - so misunderstood by the public - they are now having to resort to every means possible to appease their shareholders. Readers may find the Peninsula Hotel, another enterprise largely owned by the Kadoories, being demolished to make way for a shopping mall.

Angus Hardern, Mong Kok

Appalled by selfish drivers

Hong Kong is a city proud of its adherence to the law, making our metropolis a safe and secure place in which to live.

Our traffic police, however, fail to live up to this mark of excellence. I drive around Hong Kong each day and daily I witness a growing number of flagrant traffic offences. The most common and alarming is the running of red lights by buses. Yet perhaps the most disruptive remains the complete blockage of lanes outside the Landmark and IFC buildings.

Three lanes are reduced to one and at times none, while drivers await their masters who apparently are so important that we must all stop and anticipate their arrival.

I recently observed total blockage at IFC while across the road three police officers on motorcycles looked on and did absolutely nothing.

There is little point in building new roads to ease Hong Kong's traffic congestion when the police fail to enforce parking violations and roads become exclusive parking zones for Hong Kong's supposed elite.

Mark Peaker, The Peak

Questionable ad from troubled firm

I refer to the report ('MF Global in FBI inquiry: source', November 7).

The bankrupt brokerage faces a subpoena in a case of suspected misconduct of customers' accounts. I compliment Charlie Chan's letter ('Stricter regulations needed', November 8) for spotting the irony of MF Global's advert stating 'Everyone has opinions. We have convictions'.

In the previous week's edition of Barron's (the US business weekly newspaper), MF Global ran a similarly bold advert headed, 'In your face. In a good way'.

Executive hubris has definitely placed it into client's faces. However, it is questionable if this has been in a good way.

Christian Rogers, Wan Chai

Clarifying position in cancer fund

I would like to clarify the position of David Tang and his involvement with the Hong Kong Cancer Fund as mentioned in the Lai See column ('Peering through the smoke at cancer fund's Cuban connection', November 11).

David, Sally Lo (CEO) and I founded the fund back in August 1987.

In the early years of our existence, David contributed to the organisation because he wanted to help those who are touched by cancer.

Recognising the conflict of interest between the cigar business he started in 1992 and the work of the fund, he stepped down ahead of our becoming a company limited by guarantee.

However, in recognition of his earlier contributions, he remains an honorary president of the fund.

As Hong Kong's largest and most respected cancer support organisation, we are clear in our position that smoking is harmful to health and a direct cause of cancer.

Moreover, we advocate this message through anti-smoking campaigns as well as lobbying the SAR government for stricter tobacco control.

Robert Lo Kai-leung, co-chairman, Hong Kong Cancer Fund

Earth faces so much pressure

The fact that the world's population has now reached seven million should be a wake-up call regarding the earth and its dwindling resources.

Fossil fuels will eventually run out but the development of renewable energy has still not matured.

We should be trying to be innovative and doing more to develop renewable energy sources like solar power.

As the population grows, there will be greater demand for food. Yet, the agricultural technology has not developed to the point where food production can meet that demand.

What is needed is greater international co-operation between developed and underdeveloped countries.

In some third-world nations, there is plenty of spare land. Developed nations should help the poorer countries to put this land to good agricultural use. Also, we must act before we run out of metal.

People should, where possible, be reducing, recycling and reusing.

Once a natural resource is gone, it cannot be replaced.

We should treasure what we have and be aiming for sustainable development.

We have to respect our resources and cut back on waste.

Leung Ka-kei, Kwai Chung