1 Greens hail Tamar plan as lack of protest space hit
Una So and Diana Lee, The Standard 11 January 2008

Green groups yesterday applauded natural elements to be included in the government headquarters at Tamar.

But some lawmakers expressed concern about the level of access that the public will be allowed at the new complex.

Green Sense welcomed the plan to make Tamar the most environmental- friendly of government buildings.

"We are glad to hear the government will use more natural energy such as green air ventilation and natural lighting," said the group's project manager, Gabrielle Ho Ka-po.

"Other environmental-friendly measures like a sky garden and water- saving devices are also great ideas. Such green moves should be encouraged."

Ho, however, said the area reserved for grassland should be modified to allow more trees to be planted, since trees will support a larger ecosystem than grass.

Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner Frances Yeung said the government made a good start in thinking green. "The proposal is a step in the right direction to halt climate change and is a good role model for other buildings in Hong Kong to follow."

She also noted that the government had vowed to conduct an energy audit, or carbon audit, for the project. That was suggested in the chief executive's policy address last year.

The green group hopes too that the government will try to reduce the carbon emissions of the complex to zero as well as extend the energy audit policy to all new buildings.

Yet lawmakers are concerned about how wide the gates of the complex will open, especially for public protests.

Although half the 42,000 square meter site will be open areas, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Wing-tat said that, with such spaces scattered between buildings, people could not gather in large numbers to make their voices heard.

He asked: "What if 5,000 people wanted to gather in front of the headquarters? Is this possible?"

Lee also said that since Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was calling it "a government headquarters for the people," the public should be allowed to tour the headquarters by appointment, like at the US White House.

Jennifer Mak Yee-ming, director of administration, said the government had to wait for the detailed plans of the new site before making arrangements concerning protest areas.

"We have to strike a balance between the government's use of the site and a place for people to make their views known," she said.

For now, she thinks a multi-purpose room in the complex's low block may be open to the public.

Civic Party lawmaker Alan Leong Kah-kit questioned the possibility of making changes to the plan since the government has already signed a contract with Gammon-Hip Hing Joint Venture.

Mak said any change may lead to delays and a higher cost.

The Legislative Council's development panel will arrange another special meeting to look into the project in detail.