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SCMP Reporter

Q Should there be another Harbour Fest next year?

I think Harbour Fest should continue next year and could be a very successful annual event if the government  put more work into the programmes.

As this year's event shows, however, there is lack of communication between the organisers in Hong Kong and the bands.

The government and the organisers could have sorted out the details of the events earlier and made sure that everything was working before they launched the festival.

This event is very beneficial to Hong Kong's economy and also its tourism industry, with many visitors drawn to this event because of the internationally well-known artists. These tourists will come back again and again for years and this event may even become a main feature as a Hong Kong tourist attraction every year.

The organisers could invite different kinds of artists such as Eminem, Backstreet  Boys, Ricky Martin and Linkin Park to play so that there will always be diversity.

I hope Harbour Fest can run smoothly in the years to come so that Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient, will shine again.

Patrick Wong Pak-kiu, Tsuen Wan

Chaotic arrangements for big stars, a lack of professional support and the failure of ticket sales at Harbour Fest have compromised Hong Kong's good name for handling big projects.

The Harbour Fest has already exposed several internal conflicts and crises, so how can the citizens put their trust in both the American businessmen of AmCham and the government again?

It is out of the question that a music festival makes any inroads in helping to revive the economy.

It had the potential to give rise to a great international awareness of Hong Kong, but instead people are just puzzled by the Fest. It paints Hong Kong as an unco-operative city where citizens curse the government.

Tourists have already built up a bad impression. I don't think that Harbour Fest can last any longer. The final outcome is that the reserves of the public are being dumped into the sea again. Citizens cannot bare the endless inconsistency of this government.

Emily Lam, Tsing Yi

The Harbour Fest has been organised to boost Hong Kong's economy as well as tourism. If done successfully, the event could certainly have helped. But what led to its failure is the choice of inexperienced organisers and a lack of communication, checks and balances.

The unsatisfactory outcome is due in great part to the improper organisation of AmCham. There has hardly been any advertisements or promotion in the media. Contracts signed with the stars are neither consistent nor reliable. Complaints about disturbing loud noise are not handled well.

A low degree of transparency gives the public an unclear picture of how its money is spent.

There is a lack of a clear definition of the responsibilities of AmCham and the government. Neither come out and explain things to the public when problems occur.

The lack of organisation is even apparent when it comes to giving out free tickets.

Not only does the Fest do nothing to promote Hong Kong, it actually damages the international reputation and image of our city.

We cannot conclude that having such an event will help Hong Kong in any way.

It should be natural for Hong Kong, as an international city, to host performances by the world's top pop stars, and this should undoubtedly attract tourists.

However, the most important decision is choosing who should organise such an event.

After  such a bitter experience, the government should learn its lesson.

Next year, if there is another Harbour Fest, a more experienced organiser should be put in charge, and a clear definition of authority should exist between the government and the organiser.

Whenever problems occur, representatives from either or both sides should come out and ease public worries. With a proper arrangement, success would be ensured.

Joyce Chan Chung-yan, Tsuen Wan

Q Is giving away Harbour Fest tickets a good idea?

I think it makes sense. If people who bought tickets to see a band were not refunded when that band pulled out,  then they would have been cheated.

Give them refunds and let the remainder of the tickets be given away. But the way the government handled this problem was poor. The fact that each person in a queue could receive four tickets meant others missed out.

Also, the way the handout was run meant that many youngsters queued for tickets instead of going to school. The government should think more clearly before undertaking such an exercise again.

Chu Man-tik, Tsuen Wan

After some of the foreign singers suddenly cancelled their performance,  giving away Harbour Fest tickets was a good way of diverting fans' resentment.

Many fans bought the tickets because they wanted to get to see their foreign idols up close. Without them, the show could not be sold out.

The government has spent a large amount on Harbour Fest, so it really had no choice but to distribute the tickets to the public free rather than simply call the show off.

Although the aim of invigorating the economy of Hong Kong may have failed, the event could still succeed in terms of promoting the city.

If the performances are up to scratch, then it is still possible to gain people's praise. Now is not the time for us to blame anyone for the poor organisation of Harbour Fest.

It is more important that the responsible authority present these performances to the public free in an attempt to maintain the good image of Hong Kong.

Au Ka-yan, Tsuen Wan



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