I REFER to S. C. Yip's letter (South China Morning Post, May 19), in response to my own letter of April 21.
In fact, in my letter I did raise two issues, the activities of green managers and the Government's tardiness over revamping its purchasing policies, focusing on recycled paper.
I also lamented the relative inability of the Government to turn words into action where the environment is concerned.
Mr Yip gave no response on green managers, and really did not give much of an answer on recycled paper, but preferred to concentrate his attention on my failure to appreciate the many things the Government is doing to improve our environment.
Yes, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is very good at producing documents and commissioning studies, and it has some very creditable achievements, but the point I was trying to make is that government ''policy'' towards the environment (insofar as there is one) is at best piecemeal, and is therefore not conducive to long-term change which can reap real benefits for the environment and the people of Hong Kong.
I draw attention once again to the fact that the exercise to determine the viability of recycled paper for large-scale government use will take two years (maybe less, maybe more, according to Mr Yip).
A study currently being conducted at the EPD's behest into the minimisation of all wastes in Hong Kong will take one year, ending in February 1995.
