Makeup of antiquities board revamped after calls for conservation policy review
More young members are being appointed to the Antiquities Advisory Board to give a fresh view on preserving heritage buildings, after intervention by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.
Edward Ho Sing-tin, 68, an architect and Liberal Party member, will be reappointed the board's chairman, 'but more new members will join the committee, especially those young guys, to give fresh input', a source close to the government said. The new membership has yet to be announced, despite its term expiring on December 31.
A government source said Chief Secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan and Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho Chi-ping had confirmed the board's new members, whose names would be released shortly.
'The chief secretary wanted to have more input in the membership of the Antiquities Advisory Board in response to the public concern about heritage buildings,' the source said.
One of the new members is Executive Councillor and legislator Bernard Charnwut Chan, who has called for a change in consultation procedures on heritage buildings in light of the row over demolition of the Star Ferry pier. He could not be reached yesterday to comment.
Mr Chan wrote in a recent newspaper column that the present procedures reflected a time when the public did not expect to provide much input into government decision-making and economic development was an overriding priority.