What do you think of the plan for a Hong Kong branch of the Shaolin Monastery? I would like to see the Henan Shaolin Monastery establishing a base in Hong Kong ('Temple waits on approval of land', February 21) and I hope its application for a land grant is approved by the government. Kung fu is a popular form of martial arts and is unique to Chinese culture. I think a genuine Shaolin temple in Hong Kong will be a great tourist attraction. Although the site has yet to be decided, I think the only suitable site would be somewhere on Lantau. Perhaps it could be located near the Ngong Ping 360 cable car at Tung Chung. The monastery should be a solemn and serene place, hidden in the forest, and be as authentic as possible. In fact, the head of the Shaolin Monastery in Henan should not think of this Hong Kong branch as a commercial vehicle to generate revenue. The genuine intention should be to bring the life of zen to Hong Kong. Over-commercialism should be avoided, or the spirit of the Shaolin monks will be lost. H. C. Bee, Kowloon Tong What should be done with the land in front of IFC? I refer to the report ('IFC owner opposes plan for neighbours', February 24). The joint-venture developers of IFC have stated that they are against the construction of two medium-rise commercial blocks in front of their property, because it will compromise their development's design, and that the 'harbourfront site should be returned to the people'. I find this refreshing expression of public spirit encouraging. I am a member of a residents' group on King Wah Road, North Point. For the last 10 months we have campaigned against a proposal to build a massive 30 to 40-storey hotel project in front of our residential buildings on the harbourfront. The proposed building will block our views, restrict air flow, limit sunlight and cause traffic congestion, and the associated noise and air pollution will compromise our living environment. The developer behind the project is Henderson Land, which is one of the IFC developers. The impact of the government's plan [in front of] IFC is minimal when compared to the hotel's impact on our residential properties. We hope that the harbourfront at North Point will be similarly 'returned to the people' and that the wider public interest will be respected. Samson Fung, convener, Coalition Against the Proposed Development on King Wah Road What do you think of the 'no plastic bags' campaign? I fully support measures aimed at protecting the Earth. However, I wonder if the 'no plastic bags' campaign and the proposed government levy of 50 cents for each plastic bag are practical. The proposed levy will target supermarkets. I wonder if the 50 cent tax will force people to adopt the habit of my mother's generation, when people took their own bags when they went shopping in the market. I doubt if this will happen unless further measures are adopted: Charge customers HK$5 or HK$10 for a bag instead of 50 cents. The proposed amount is really too small. Some people may still be willing to pay 50 cents rather than bring their own bag; Subsidise supermarkets to encourage them to use biodegradable bags; and Ban supermarkets from providing plastic bags to customers. I hope the government and the green groups can figure out ways to solve this bag problem as soon as possible. Gary Ko, Kwai Chung What do you think of the revised law on sales tactics? I refer to the report ('Rapid-response teams to aid victims of scams', February 24). I totally agree with the Trade Descriptions Ordinance Amendment. It aims to build a better shopping environment and deter traders from allowing poor-quality products to be sold to customers. Undoubtedly, the revised law will make it easier for customs to take action. Officers will be able to 'conduct surprise visits and make undercover purchases' when they have received complaints from consumers. The amended ordinance will apparently benefit tourists and Hong Kong shoppers. I think it will create a better shopping environment and tourists will feel more confident about shopping in the city. Comprehensive laws can enhance our reputation as a shopping paradise. Catos Chan, Tung Chung On other matters... I would like to extend my congratulations to screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and actor Sean Penn who won Oscars for the wonderful movie Milk. However, I wonder why during TVB Pearl's evening news report on the Oscars on Monday and its late news report, which showed short clips from the awards ceremony, Milk did not get the briefest of mentions. Nothing of Penn's acceptance speech for best actor was aired, even though we saw some of the speech by Kate Winslet accepting her award for best actress and Heath Ledger's family accepting his award for best supporting actor. I would hate to think that Harvey Milk's support for equal rights was the reason the speech was being excluded by the channel that aired the ceremony live and then repeated it in the evening. Billy R. Leung, Chai Wan I write regarding the proposals for a revised schedule and fares for Discovery Bay ferries. Discovery Bay Transportation Services should not stop service after midnight. Discovery Bay is not only a community of expatriates. There are a lot of Hong Kong families and pensioners. How can the ferry operators deprive us of our basic social needs and rights? I urge the operators and Transport Department to sit down and work something out, unless they want to see a lot of residents deserting Discovery Bay. Surely they can see what is going to happen if they go ahead with their plans. Frances Largent, Discovery Bay
