A website is almost indispensable to any organisation in the age of technology. It is as much an image-building tool as a way to keep in touch with the public. This is particularly essential for groups whose operations have a direct impact on the community. It seems bewildering, therefore, that the Real Estate Developers Association, a self-regulatory industry body, set one up only recently in response to attacks over its lack of transparency and public accountability. Launching the website, chairman Keith Kerr rightly acknowledged that the 46-year-old association had to 'move with the needs and expectations of society'. The website, he said, was created to keep all concerned parties informed of the vision, mission and initiatives - 'an important resource for the people of Hong Kong'. A step in the right direction as it is, the website still falls short of public expectations in that it mainly carries basic information, such as board members, press statements and position papers. Ironically, the association's 19 objectives registered under the Societies Ordinance are not available. Those who hope to find out details like how often the board meets and what is on the agenda will be equally disappointed. It is still up to the association to decide if it will disclose any decision in the form of a brief press release afterwards. A more welcoming step is perhaps the guide on how the association handles complaints. It would be even better if details like complaint figures and the outcome of some major cases could be made available. The dominance of the property sector in Hong Kong's economy has made public monitoring of developers all the more important. It is to be hoped that it is only the first of several steps to enhance the association's transparency and public accountability. If the watchdog is sincere in moving with the expectations of society, more efforts are needed to improve the public perception that the association is truly a self-regulatory watchdog rather than a private club.
