Hong Kong-Macau ferry terminal is in serious need of crowd control

On the evening of June 26, I went to the ferry terminal in Sheung Wan to leave for a conference in Macau. The waiting area was so packed that I needed help to find the entrance for boarding. While the passengers had nearly filled up the space, more people were entering the waiting area through an escalator that could be blocked by the crowd, risking crowd collapses.

Ironically, a Department of Health staff member was on site offering health information pamphlets to travellers who clearly needed protection rather than education from the department against infectious diseases.

In response to my complaint, the terminal management has been investigating the matter. The chief port health officer of the Department of Health has agreed to follow up. I have also alerted the Security Bureau about the security risk, suggesting that the Immigration Department and the police should work together on crowd management.

While the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge, expected to open in September, is likely to alleviate the problem, the Hong Kong government must make efforts to ensure the safety, health and comfort of all visitors and safeguard the city’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination.

Simon Wang, Kowloon Tong