Q Should the government consider the developer's proposal for Wan Chai Market? Our centre has been seeking the preservation of historic buildings in Wan Chai, including the Wan Chai Market. The idea of a 'development rights transfer' is not new in other parts of the world, yet in Hong Kong the policy has not been formalised because it falls between the Homes Affairs Bureau and the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau. We now have a golden opportunity to preserve the Wan Chai Market. A vacant piece of land, owned by the Urban Renewal Authority, is just opposite the Wan Chai Road redevelopment project. It is reported that the developer of the Wan Chai Market project has indicated they may be interested in a land swap for this piece of land. We fully support the idea. May I remind the URA that one of its 'vision and mission' responsibilities is 'to preserve by maintaining and restoring buildings of historical and architectural value, and to sustain local characteristics'. It is high time the URA reacts to this offer from the developer. In a recent visit to Hong Kong, naturalist Jane Goodall told her audience that the culture of a society is passed on from generation to generation, and we should value the environment as well as collective memories. URA, the ball is in your court! M.K.C. Lai, Centre for Community Renewal Q What do you think of the new Star Ferry pier? It is lamentable that the noted, historic landmark will soon vanish to meet the needs of booming growth. Local heritage not only preserves our fading colonial history but also makes Hong Kong remarkably unique among other Asian cities and countries. Spectacular, modern high-rises are everywhere in developed countries, so our well-known International Finance Centre doesn't intrigue foreigners one bit. Tourists are eager for a glimpse of the lifestyle of a typical Hongkonger, accompanied with, for instance, the Bauhaus-style Wan Chai Market, Blue House and rickshaws. A city's skyscrapers can be replenished; unfortunately our heritage can't. Tina Chiu, Mid-Levels Q Have you had a bad experience with a taxi driver? Having travelled extensively and lived in a number of countries, I have reached the conclusion that Hong Kong taxi drivers are the worst in the world. Aside from the fact they rarely speak English outside Central, they are rude. When I bounce into a taxi with a chirpy 'Jo san', I am largely ignored. If I do not have anything smaller than HK$100, the driver will often sigh loudly to indicate what a nuisance I am. And I am constantly astonished at their lack of knowledge of the streets. I have lived here long enough to know never to undertake a journey without either the exact address written in Chinese, or a Cantonese speaker who knows where I am going on the end of the telephone to guide the driver. Recently, I had the name of the building, street number and street name, but evidently this is insufficient information to get from A to B here. The driver became irritated because I could not show him the way, having never been there before myself, and seemed to think this was a failing on my part as a passenger, not his as a taxi driver. We travelled less than 2km, and he was completely unfamiliar with the area. When I pointed out that in London taxi drivers have to take the 'knowledge' and know their way around the city, I was rudely told to go back to London - and I and my five months' pregnant belly were deposited on the pavement to walk the rest of the way. Of course, one in 10 taxi rides I take in this city is with a polite, friendly driver who knows where he is going and gets me there with the minimum of fuss. Sadly, the other nine completely negate the idea that Hong Kong is either international or world-class. Amanda Chapman, Tai Wai Q How can animal welfare be improved? Lots of dogs and cats are abandoned every month because of the indifference of their so-called pet-loving owners. Last year, tourists and residents on Lamma Island complained that pets had been dumped there. The number of stray cats has been increasing. In the past two years, my friends and I have found feral cat colonies in Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin and Sai Kung. Nearly all of them are kittens, the offsprings of roaming cats. Even if we love cats, it doesn't mean we know the proper ways to help desolate stray cats on the street. A few days ago, I passed by a woman feeding a slender kitten with bread in a park. I turned to her as I realised what she was doing. I asked her if she knew that feeding stray cats was illegal. She was appalled and responded angrily: 'Should I leave them alone and let them die of starvation?' I was speechless for a moment. I replied that if she continued to feed them they would breed quickly. She kept repeating the question: 'Should I leave them alone and let them die of starvation?' Surely, being a cat lover - I love cats so much - I couldn't say yes. Yet it's absolutely wrong to feed them. There will be more and more cats suffering if the cats continue to multiply. Instead of feeding them, we should contact the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They are professionals who know more about the protection of cats than you. Good cat lovers may not be good cat owners. Personally, I love cats, but I have never considered adopting one as I may be too busy to look after it. Even if we love cats and we can afford to keep them, we should not purchase one if we aren't available to keep it company. Christmas comes next month; please reflect before making a decision to buy pets as presents. They are not presents, but lives. Anna Chan, Wong Tai Sin We would like to express our appreciation for the Post's continued coverage of animal issues, be they animal cruelty cases resulting in minor deterrents or worse, case dismissal, or animal welfare statistics relating to surrendered or captured animals facing destruction. Through human interest stories involving pets and, indeed, parties, competitions and celebrations relating to animals, your newspaper continues to keep the subject of our four-legged friends in the media spotlight. Of particular interest, perhaps, is the ongoing treatment of dogs in China. Please remain steadfast in your efforts to improve the lot of our fellow creatures all over the world. Jacqui Green, Protection of Animals Lantau South On other matters... We would like to thank your reader, Carlos Vivanco, (Talkback, November 15) for his comments regarding passengers violating MTR by-laws. The MTR Corporation is committed to providing a comfortable and safe journey to our passengers. The corporation holds regular education programmes and uses different means to encourage passengers to keep the MTR system clean. Last year, we invited clowns to promote the keep-MTR-clean message, and to ask inconsiderate passengers to refrain from eating and drinking in the system. A customer care team was formed this year to patrol trains and platforms to advise passengers not to eat and drink in the MTR, as well as not to contravene other MTR by-laws. When necessary, the teams will issue verbal warnings, warning letters and recommend prosecution of passengers violating by-laws. Since April, the number of passengers found eating and drinking on trains or in the paid area of stations has dropped from about 500 cases to around 200. The MTR Corporation would like to take this opportunity to re-emphasise that eating and drinking are not allowed and pets and animals are prohibited. However, in order to ensure a clean and hygienic travelling environment for all passengers, the corporation also depends on co-operation from passengers. We would like to thank Mr Vivanco for bringing this matter to readers' attention. Helen Cheung, MTR Corporation Could we please have a crackdown on the handing out of flyers around the intersection of Queen's Road Central, Pedder Street and D'Aguilar Street. On recent shopping forays to town I have been bombarded by hordes of leafleteers handing out the usual turgid bin-fodder flyers. Who needs them or reads them? Not only is it annoying, it's downright dangerous in such a busy area. If we have to have such promotions in this unsuitable area, at least let's do it properly. We could erect a specially designated stage from which this irrelevant material could be given, and hire some Formula One girls dressed in their finery. That would make Joe Public stop and take a flyer. We could then inform the tourist board and get them to put this area on the 'top 10 list of things to do in Hong Kong'. Lorne Ali, Pok Fu Lam
