IN the light of the Lan Kwai Fong tragedy I am compelled to write to suggest immediate relief at the Lowu border, which - especially with Chinese New Year coming up - could be the scene of another horrible event. I frequently cross the border on business, and even during normal times, the crush of people through the Hongkong immigration facility is often frighteningly dangerous. Thousands of people are funnelled into an extremely narrow passageway, packed as tightly as the people on Lan Kwai Fong on New Year's Eve. Many of them are elderly people, and the fear is visible on their faces. It would take only a tiny spark to set off a panic, and once again, people could be crushed to death. Hongkong's image as a business centre is also involved. I have heard many foreign business people, caught in the crush, muttering about how poorly Hongkong handles the situation and vowing never to return to the territory. Construction is in progress on the Hongkong side, and I hope this is meant to enlarge the facility and ease traffic congestion in the future. But as the Governor has wisely called for a review of danger spots before Chinese New Year, I would like to offer two suggestions for immediate action. There are two separate passageways, one for China-bound foot traffic, the other for Hongkong-bound traffic. During peak morning hours, all or part of the Hongkong-bound lanes could be reversed, and used for China-bound traffic. The same system could be implemented in the afternoon, when huge numbers are returning from China to Hongkong. The KCRC fare on the final stretch between Sheung Shui and the border is far higher than on any other stretch of the line. The KCR could follow the MTR's lead, and adjust that portion of the fare downwards during certain times, in order to entice people to spread out their travel times. As it now stands, China-bound travellers tend to jam the border during a relatively narrow ''rush-hour'' period. I cannot emphasise how dangerous this situation is. I realise emergency measures are routinely taken at Chinese New Year, but this is a potential tragedy that could occur at any time of the year. It has been bothering me since long before the New Year's Eve disaster. I hope the disaster will give the Immigration Department the impetus to make changes quickly. SUZANNE KALB Mid-Levels
