Challenges are matter of public interest, not private litigation, says lawyer
The government is treating challenges to reclamation projects in Victoria Harbour as though they are private litigation instead of cases filed in the public interest, a court heard yesterday.
The Society for the Protection of the Harbour made the claim as it entered the latest round of its battle to curb the amount of land being reclaimed in the harbour.
In the past the society has expressed concern that unless reclamation is conducted in accordance with the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, the harbour is in danger of turning into Victoria river.
Society lawyer Mok Yeuk-chi told a judicial review in the Court of First Instance yesterday that the government should not look at the challenge as if it were private litigation. It was the duty of the government, not society, to protect the harbour, he said.
'They have a duty to keep their options open ... and not rush ahead,' he said. 'They should try their very best not to lead Hong Kong into reclaiming the harbour.'
Yesterday marked the opening of round two of the society's legal challenge against the Central-Wan Chai Bypass project.
