What do you think of plans to revitalise Tai O? Some residents of Tai O have objected to the proposed conservation plan by the government to turn Tai O into the latest tourist spot of Hong Kong ('Tai O group says 'revitalisation' plan would harm wetlands', July 29). Concerns have been raised about whether some proposed initiatives will ensure the conservation of the existing environment before extra facilities and scenic spots are added. Some residents also do not feel it is appropriate for facilities to be introduced such as a salt pan demonstration and wilderness campsite, feeling that they would disturb the existing ecological balance. The government has responded by saying that it will undertake an ecological impact study to look at the implications of any developments. The fact is that such studies do not necessarily yield conclusive results. The bottom line is that there appears to be a conflict between conservation and development needs. Those individuals who are opposed to proposals for change must appreciate that some form of development is the only way forward for the community. One thing the government must do is appoint the best designers, professionals who are able to strike the right balance. H. C. Bee, Kowloon Tong Should the city have a third free-to-air TV channel? I support Cable TV's attempt to enter the free television market. I think it would be a good idea to see more competition in the free TV services market, which at present is stagnating. This latest proposal is a good example of the convergence of public and commercial interests. For years TVB, in particular its Chinese-language channel Jade, has been complacent about its dominant status. It serves up the same fare - formulaic soap operas and entertainment shows of sometimes questionable taste. It puts out programmes that do not help young viewers develop their critical faculties, curiosity and creativity. Even its news programmes have been criticised. Therefore, clearly the introduction of another free-to-air television channel is long overdue. The government also owes Hong Kong people a convincing explanation as to why it believes pay TV operators cannot run free TV channels, especially given the fact that TVB enjoys the privilege of operating both paid-for and free channels. The licensing obstacle facing Cable TV is only part of the wider issue of the lack of a clear policy on public broadcasting in Hong Kong. Look at the dire situation of RTHK and the outstanding case of Citizens' Radio and one can appreciate the scope of the problem. Is stalling all we can ever get from the administration of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen? Eric S. K. Mok, Pok Fu Lam What do you think of this year's book fair? Hong Kong has long been criticised for being a cultural desert with a lack of a reading culture among its citizens. On the bus or the MTR, you often see passengers playing electronic games or reading comics. Rarely do you find a youngster reading, for example, a book borrowed from a public library. By contrast, in cities in Taiwan and on the mainland, there are scores of bookstores covering several floors where young people spend hours looking at books. Much of this material is of a rather high literary value. Instead of internet cafes there are coffee shops that attract customers with their great variety of books. There is a well-developed reading culture in Taiwan and on the mainland, which you do not see with Hong Kong youngsters. It is important to encourage the development of good reading habits. And the Book Fair is a step in the right direction. It answers the needs of many people who want quality books and publications. Therefore, unlike the food fair, with its boisterous atmosphere, the book fair should provide the cultural ambience needed, so that visitors can flick through the pages of books undisturbed while making a choice about what to purchase. The presence of sexy looking 'pseudo-models' promoting the sales of their photo albums [at this year's book fair] spoiled that cultural atmosphere. I understand that many keen readers were put off paying a visit to the fair. What is worse is that I understand the pseudo-models' material sold well. This means that there will be more books of this kind on sale in the coming years. Instead of making greater efforts to nurture a good reading habit among our youngsters, should we be tolerant of this sign of moral decline? Great damage has been done to Hong Kong's cultural image and there will be greater damage if we are to give the green light to these pseudo-models at the Book Fair. Angela Chong, Macau What do you think of the standard of local graduates? People always criticise local graduates when comparing Hong Kong with mainland students. Generally, they believe mainland students are more determined when they have to face up to adversity, that they have greater motivation and that they set themselves clear goals from an early age. It is argued that local graduates are lazy, lack a clear vision regarding goals and they do not work hard. As a Hong Kong student, I think such criticism is unfair. Young people here face stiff competition to gain a place at a university. They cannot afford to be lazy if they want to get into a tertiary institution. Also, after years of having to sit various examinations, they are able to deal with stress. It is crucially important to be able to do this in the workplace in this city. It is undoubtedly true that mainlanders are more proficient in Putonghua because it is their mother tongue, but local graduates usually have a better command of English. The two sets of graduates have different priorities. It is very difficult to compare them. I think both sets of graduates can learn important lessons from each other, but I see no point criticising one group over another. We have to appreciate that today's graduates will be the pillars of tomorrow's society. We should do our best to help them improve where necessary, rather than undermining their self-confidence. Carman Chan Ka-man, Kwun Tong Should the buildings on Staunton Street be excised from the URA project? The Urban Renewal Authority has created the adversarial position it frequently finds itself in by categorically ignoring communities affected by its renovation plans and using profitability as the only measure of a project's success. It needs to wake up and listen to the people whose lives it is uprooting and the neighbourhoods it is destroying. The public sentiment has changed towards development. Not everything old is bad and in need of demolition. The old buildings of Staunton Street ('URA split over call by owners to leave their Staunton St buildings out of project', August 4) make up a real community that represents a part of Hong Kong history worthy of being preserved. If we left all decisions about what should be preserved to the URA, our city would be buried in high-rises, our streets would be congested with traffic and any hint of our past would be relegated to coffee table books showing life in Hong Kong before the URA took control. Hongkongers are now raising their voices and want more say in their city's development. We want real preservation and not the URA's artificially recreated interpretation of our past. We are not fooled by the URA plans for Staunton Street. When there is a need to impose towers in low residential areas to maintain the viability of an artificial preservation project, everyone loses. Perhaps this is the beginning of a new era where the people have a say and the URA begins to listen to communities. The Town Planning Board has given its recommendation to preserve the area. Let's hope the URA will at least listen to them, if not us. Dare Koslow, Central
