The bridge across a nullah between the old guardhouse and the former explosives magazine compound is unwarranted and is a waste of money. The road between the guardhouse and the compound offers excellent access to the military site, as it has done during the 100 years since this munitions site was built.

It appears to be par for the course in Hong Kong that modern structures are inserted into conservation projects, often dominating them, and that these use up most of the 'conservation' funds. This is surely contrary to an effective and sensible heritage conservation policy.

It is ludicrous that the public is prohibited from accessing the military site and only allowed into the modern pavilion building. And it is laughable that Ronnie Chan Chichung, chairman of the society's Hong Kong centre, is so worried that people may trip over unless they are supervised.

Obviously the society wants this Hong Kong heritage site for its own selfish purposes and is reluctant to accommodate the public. What is our government thinking?

Hong Kong's Mickey Mouse approach to conservation is further illustrated by Ocean Park's announcement it will replicate an old Hong Kong trading street ('Ocean Park to give visitors glimpse of 'Old Hong Kong'', January 11). At the same time, the Development Bureau and Urban Renewal Authority press ahead with demolishing original and evocative working streets in the old downtown districts.

Frank Lee, Mid-Levels

Treat bad air problems as a crisis

In respect of air quality, the people of Hong Kong want two things.

They want the truth about air quality where they and their children live, work, study and play so that they can make informed decisions as to how best to protect their health and take concerted and urgent action to improve it. They are not interested in targets.

Also, they want to be warned when the air is dangerous to their health and they want the government to start doing something meaningful about it without more years of dithering.

I was impressed and relieved when the administration got rid of all the diesel taxis and some of the diesel minibuses, which had a hugely beneficial effect on air quality back in 2003.

What has it achieved since then? We are still plagued with dirty old buses, minibuses, goods vehicles, ferries and ships, and the power companies have still not cleaned up their act.

The government has a pretty good record when it comes to managing crises. I am sure that the Hospital Authority would say that the steadily increasing cases of respiratory disease amount to a continuing and worsening crisis, so can we please start treating it as such?

Guy Shirra, chairman, Friends of Sai Kung

Platform doors are pointless

The MTR Corporation has been castigated by some lawmakers for its slow progress in installing screen doors on open-air platforms.

The MTR Corp is conducting a trial of part-height screen doors at Kwai Fong station.

It is apparent to me that the installation of such doors are a nuisance and a hazard in themselves.

There is the potential for trapped fingers and clothing. More importantly, it is a misuse of money if the primary purpose is to prevent suicide bids.

I doubt that the number of people throwing themselves onto the tracks and thereby disrupting operation of the trains justifies expending hundreds of millions of dollars.

Sadly, it will never be possible to prevent determined individuals committing suicide, and the screen doors will merely move the problem elsewhere.

What is next? High fencing along all bridges and highways and installing screen doors at pedestrian crossings? What about the coastline, surely a major hazard?

Legislative councillors should turn their attention to more substantive matters and, instead of inflicting further unnecessary screen doors on the travelling public, the MTR Corp could more usefully make a substantial donation to the voluntary agencies struggling to tackle the widespread social problems in Hong Kong.

Doug Miller, Tai Po

Basic Law change long overdue

It seems that Hong Kong's immigration policy is no longer under the control of the Hong Kong government.

It is under the control of pregnant women from the mainland who want their babies to become Hong Kong permanent residents.

By all means, let these women come to give birth in Hong Kong, but the city should be under no obligation to give the newborn babies the right of abode and therefore the right to eventually return and settle here.

I believe that many countries (including Australia) changed their policies when mothers from Hong Kong and other parts of Asia were going there to give birth for the same reason.

The revised policies give the baby the right to citizenship only if at least one of the parents is a citizen of that country.

Otherwise, the child has to return home with his or her mother and that is the end of the matter.

If the Basic Law has put Hong Kong's immigration policy in a position where it is being misused by women from the mainland who are pregnant, then it should be changed.

The Basic Law is not a sacred document and must be changed when it is necessary to do so, because of changed needs and circumstances.

P. K. Lee, Tung Chung

Economy very free if you are rich

It is well known that foreign citizens wanting to buy real estate in many countries face severe restrictions, despite some of these nations being large and sparsely populated.

Oddly, in Hong Kong and Macau, which are small, outside investors looking for a place to park their excess cash are free to buy as many houses as they want, while some residents live for years in cage dwellings.

I am sure that this sorry and unacceptable state of affairs contributes significantly to the rating of the Macau and Hong Kong economies among the freest in the world. They are indeed very free provided that you have lots of money. Freedom, in the end, has its price.

Goncalo Cabral, Macau