The decision to build the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge has been controversial, to say the least.
Not only does it contravene the Transport Department's stated policy to promote rail rather than road, but the Highways Department was keen on this "challenging sea-crossing road infrastructure project" so it could capture the world's attention and demonstrate the success of the "one country, two systems" policy.
Should such self-glorification form part our civil servants' motives and evaluation? There is little doubt that this project will have severely deleterious consequences for Hong Kong's and the Pearl River Delta's environment, and also that it will prove to be a commercial failure of massive proportions. A white woolly mammoth may well prove to be a more apt description of this infrastructure than a white elephant.
I read that Hopewell Highway Infrastructure is confident of achieving profitability for its toll expressway from Guangzhou to Zhongshan , and that it is planning to open ahead of schedule the toll extension from Zhongshan to Zhuhai ("Hopewell banks on Wan Chai land gain", August 21).
Hopewell's chairman, Gordon Wu Ying-sheung, was a leading cheerleader for this Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau road bridge, which obviously will have a major impact on the patronage of the Phase II and III West expressways. Former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen never needed much encouragement to "pour concrete", on the premise that the mega-size of projects will create numerous business and job opportunities - for the construction industry.
It appears that the Hong Kong taxpayer will bear the brunt of the cost, while as usual tycoon interests will be the main beneficiaries.