THE E-MAIL FORUM Q Should Two IFC have a public viewing platform? Two IFC is fast becoming the architectural equivalent of Philip Wong Yu-hong's 'rude gesture' to the people of Hong Kong. The fact that the building splits the harbour view in two from the Peak and is utterly out of balance with its surroundings have clearly not concerned the developers or the government. (When have such things ever been a concern?) But could they at least give something back to the people who will put up with it by having a public viewing gallery, as do the Sears Tower and countless other world-class skyscrapers? Nope, sorry, prohibitively expensive, they tell us. Give us a break. Whoever is responsible for that decision should be made to base jump off the 84th floor of Two IFC. John Potter, Mid-Levels Q How should the harbour be better utilised? The recent judicial ruling in favour of protecting Victoria Harbour has set a high standard for the Town Planning Board. Save our Shorelines supports Winston Chu Ka-sun's call for a Harbour Authority to protect and responsibly develop the shoreline of our beautiful harbour for the use of Hong Kong people and our visitors. The piecemeal planning and development methods in current use that emphasise reclamation are detrimental to our future prosperity. The Star Ferry has taken the lead with its new harbour tour. Let us all work together to make our world-renowned Victoria Harbour a wonderful place for all to enjoy. John Bowden, Save our Shorelines Town Planning Board officials say they remain confident that the judgment regarding the Wan Chai reclamation will not have wider implications. This indicates a big gap between the public interest and the mindset of the board and its disregard for the preservation of the harbour, which is protected by law. The board, if it appeals the ruling, will have no grounds in law and will simply demonstrate its arrogance. Hong Kong has been developing in a lopsided way, with increases in population density going unchecked against requirements of infrastructure capacity. The Town Planning Board has been using the harbour as an unlimited land resource. Perhaps there should be a fundamental change in the operation of the Town Planning Board so that there will not be this continued erosion of the quality of our living environment. That change should come soon because the damage to our environment is irreversible. John Yuan, Shanghai The Town Planning Board says that it took into account the three essential components of sustainable development - the economy, society and environment - when it approved the final draft of the Wan Chai reclamation project. If this is the order in which they studied the three elements, then they need to think again. For such projects, the order in which the three should be considered is: the environment, society and economy. If you do not sustain the environment, then society will suffer, and when society suffers, so does the economy. Mark Turner, Sai Kung The quaysides of Hong Kong have definitely been important to its success as an entrepot. However, Hong Kong now has to reconsider the use of the waterfront. Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but the harbour is messy and dirty, for the most part. Hong Kong needs a beautiful harbour to attract tourists and enrich the environment for residents. I think the harbour should be planned for public recreation. The government should stop its strategy of cluttering the harbour's edge with commercial buildings. Citizens want a place for jogging in the morning; a promenade for enjoying the reflection of the sunset by the sea; a seat for a cup of coffee in the open space under the shade of trees. Hong Kong residents need a place to relax, free from the oppression of the city's streets. Vito Yu Wai-tou, Tuen Mun Q Should Tung Chung Road simply undergo improvement? Tung Chung Road should be improved to the standard of the South Lantau Road. This would be enough, since there is not much traffic. I don't think this will cost $630 million, unless there are some hidden interests. Werner Meissner, Department of Government and International Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University While there is certainly a need to improve the north-south access on Lantau island, it is not clear that the solution presented is the best one. This is a question that should be carefully considered by the Legislative Council, especially given Hong Kong's current financial situation. I object to the final version of this project presented for approval. Data provided from a 1996 study clearly states that widening the existing Tung Chung Road southern section is a good option at less than half the price of the proposed realignment. Another point of concern is that project estimates were conveniently lowered by $300 million just prior to the last round of voting. The government will not say where the savings have been made. This equates to an overestimate of about 50 per cent on the final figures. As a taxpayer, I would like to know how this happened. There has also been a complete lack of public consultation. To illustrate further, a Cheung Sha village representative claimed he had only been informed about the project one month ago. That despite assurances that all the notification process had been followed correctly and all village representatives advised. Nick Shaw, Lantau
