Letters to the Editor, September 20, 2013

Regarding letters and articles about the small-house policy, there is a fundamental flaw in the logic of those supporting the policy and something that could be emphasised much more by those who oppose it: generally speaking, indigenous villagers don't occupy new small houses.

In my New Territories village and all of those around it, all new village houses are occupied by non-indigenous people, almost exclusively Westerners.

The small-house policy is a massive scam that brings great financial rewards to developers and, to a lesser extent, villagers with rights to build small houses.

Any talk of making small houses bigger simply means more money going to developers and villagers. And we are talking very large sums, easily exceeding HK$10 million per house in many villages after a premium is paid (if applicable) and after developers buy out villagers' rights (an open secret, as reported in this newspaper).

If the small-house policy actually kept indigenous villagers on their land and helped to preserve their traditional way of life, I believe it would have support beyond villagers and the Heung Yee Kuk.

If indigenous villagers and the kuk are willing to return to the original intent of the policy, it may have a legitimate future. But if it continues to be a money-making scam at the expense of the wider community, it deserves to end.