Letters | Sham Shui Po reservoir conversation: why has government failed to engage public again?

Readers discuss the reopening of the underground reservoir in Sham Shui Po, the transition to electric vehicles, and the importance of positive thinking for cancer patients

Conservation

Letters

Published: 6:30am, 26 Nov 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

I refer to the report “Reservoir gets ready for flow of visitors” (November 19). While citizens anticipate the reopening of the Sham Shui Po service reservoir, there are lessons to be learned by the government in the aftermath of the public outcry for conversation of this invaluable site.

It is a shame that district councillors were not told about the site changes, particularly the glass canopy. Following the weakening of district councils’ power, the inability of communities to engage in conservation planning becomes a concern. I was not aware of the interventions until they made the news. By then, the interventions were already nearly completed.

While the government understandably prioritised the protection of the structure, this should not deny the public the right to know. Officials should abandon the elitist mindset that public engagement, or even simply consultation, is a waste of time.

01:19

Demolition of Hong Kong old reservoir halted after calls for heritage assessment

Australia’s Burra Charter, an internationally acclaimed doctrine of heritage conservation, states that heritage sites “should be safeguarded and not put at risk or left in a vulnerable state”. The government has done this, and it is appreciated.

But public participation in the conservation process is equally important, according to the charter. “Groups and individuals with associations with the place…should be provided with opportunities to contribute to and participate in…its conservation and management.”

Interest groups are most often represented by district councils in our institutional structure. Unfortunately, some district councillors have said they neither feel included nor respected by the authorities.

Last year, government officials apologised for their insensitivity and vowed to be open to public feedback about the conservation of the reservoir. But they have failed again to meet public expectations.

A conservation project of such public interest and which could have empowered citizens should not be tied up in red tape. Even if the government could not engage with or consult the public about the urgent work, it should at least have made public the proposed designs at an early stage, and told us that the interventions are temporary and reversible, and that long-term revitalisation options are open to engagement.

It is absurd to see the government passively providing limited information while members of the general public desperately fly drones to obtain photographs.

Tin Wai Elzaphan Liu, undergraduate in architectural conservation, University of Hong Kong

No reason not to switch to electric vehicles

The debate over whether to encourage the use of electric vehicles in Hong Kong is heating up amid a growing global trend in electromobility. Given the benefits of e-mobility, I believe we should hop onto the bandwagon.

Firstly, electric cars are better for the environment, and can help achieve sustainability in a city long been notorious for its severe air pollution. Government data shows transport emissions are a major contributor to pollutants such as carbon dioxide. This comes down to the prevalence of exhaust-spewing vehicles that run on the traditional internal combustion engine.

Electric vehicles, however, are powered by battery or fuel cells that convert hydrogen into power, and produce no polluting fumes. To put it simply, by encouraging the use of electric vehicles, we can keep the ill effects of transport to a minimum, while improving our air quality and improving the image of our city.

More importantly, replacing traditional vehicles with cleaner-running electric vehicles will reduce air pollution and play a prime role in improving our health prospects. Apart from improving our physical health by reducing the chances of people suffering from asthma or bronchitis, our mental health can also improve when noise pollution from traffic is reduced – electric vehicles are whisper quiet compared to their traditional engine-revving counterparts.

This is especially important at night for those who live near roads, a common situation in a congested city. Electric cars just might offer many of us a better night’s rest.

Given that electric cars offer so many benefits, from environmental sustainability and cleaner air to reduced noise pollution and better health, why not encourage their prevalent use?

Why – when there are so many benefits from encouraging electric cars – don’t we simply revamp transport in Hong Kong? It is my earnest hope that our city can build a reputation as not just pre-eminent and hi-tech, but also environmentally friendly.

Helen Cheuk, Cheung Sha Wan

In cancer, positive thinking makes a difference

I am writing in response to the article “Cervical cancer scare prompts change of life” (November 23). It is so inspiring to read Julia Broad’s account of dealing with cervical cancer at such a young age, how she addressed this with her daughter, and how she created a Facebook page to chronicle her cancer journey.

This echoes the advice that we give to all cancer patients at our cancer patient resource centres. Cancer touches everyone: the patient, their loved ones, family and friends.

The Hong Kong Cancer Fund believes that overcoming cancer takes more than just medicine. Our professional team of social workers, art therapists, dietitians and clinical psychologists help clients manage the physical, emotional, psychological and social challenges of a cancer diagnosis.

Our services span the hospital, community and home with a network of four cancer support centres, including our dedicated women’s support centre in Central. All of our services are free and we would encourage anyone affected by cancer to contact us. We are here to ensure that no one faces cancer alone.

I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the South China Morning Post for highlighting how positive thinking can help to make a real difference.

Sally Lo, founder and chief executive, Hong Kong Cancer Fund

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