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1.
Two pilot projects to beautify the
harbour
2.
Legco rejects plan for Sha Tin school
3.
First meeting of the Harbour-front
Enhancement Committee convened today
4.
Grants approved for 8 projects under
Sustainable Development Fund
5.
West Rail contractor wins international
quality award
1. Two pilot projects to beautify the harbour
CHLOE
LAI, SCMP 6 May 2004
The
government will embark on two pilot waterfront beautification projects
to demonstrate its determination to return Victoria Harbour to the
public.
A
large roof will be erected over the waterfront area beside the outlying
island ferry piers in Central. It will also be dotted with trees,
flowers and outdoor cafes.
The
other project is to enhance the waterfront between the ferry pier
and the railway station in Hunghom.
But
reclamation will be needed in this project since the government
wants to build a footpath linking the two points.
Details
of the two projects will be presented to members of the Harbourfront
Enhancement Advisory Committee at its first meeting this afternoon.
The
government announced the establishment of the committee on March
9 after the High Court gave the green light to the Central reclamation
project. The 23-member body will advise the government on planning,
land use, design and development issues related to the waterfront.
Director
of Planning Bosco Fung Chee-keung mentioned the waterfront improvements
during the EnviroSeries conference on the harbour, sponsored by
the South China Morning Post, on Monday.
He
said the government wanted to show the public that it was committed
to improving the waterfront, making it accessible and enjoyable
for people. Mr Fung stressed that the committee and the public would
be consulted over the improvement projects.
The
government will hold exhibitions, workshops and forums this summer
to solicit the public's opinions on the two projects.
Meanwhile,
the non-profit-making coalition Citizen Envisioning @ Harbour will
demand the committee incorporate public participation and accountability
principles in its terms of reference in today's meeting.
2. Legco rejects plan for Sha Tin school
LINDA
YEUNG, SCMP 6 May 2004
Legislators
have quashed Baptist University's proposal to build a secondary
and primary school in Sha Tin, saying there is already an oversupply
of school places in the area.
The
proposed school, to cost $222 million, was scheduled to be completed
in 2006. The university's education studies department has said
it would like to work closely with the school to put its knowledge
and teaching theories into practice.
It
expressed disappointment at the Legco decision but said it would
continue to seek a solution with the Education and Manpower Bureau.
The bureau said it would study how to address legislators' concerns
before resubmitting the plan to Legco.
Statistics
from the Education and Manpower Bureau show a surplus of 201 primary
classes and 97 secondary classes in the district by 2007. At present,
there are 1,000 surplus secondary school places in Sha Tin, Deputy
Secretary for Education and Manpower Cherry Tse Ling Kit-ching told
a public works subcommittee meeting yesterday.
She
claimed the surplus was not problematic, as it constituted only
a small percentage of the more than 40,000 places on offer there.
But
Democrat legislator Wong Sing-chi said the figure was unacceptable.
"Each place involves public money. It is a waste of public
resources to have so many places unoccupied," he said. The
plan was rejected by a vote of nine to eight, with one abstention.
A
group of district councillors and principals from Sha Tin also petitioned
legislators yesterday against endorsing the plan.
Ng
Shun-cheong, chairman of the Sha Tin Primary School Heads Association,
said: "Each school in the district is competing hard to get
new students. Having the new school by a well-known group like Baptist
University will add to schools' pressure to reduce classes. We are
not against the opening of the school, but the fact is schools in
Sha Tin have already made longstanding contributions in the district."
There
are 105 secondary and primary schools in Sha Tin.
The
Sha Tin District Council reached an earlier agreement with the university
to restrict enrolment of Sha Tin students to 15 per cent. Mrs Tse
said the bureau was prepared to monitor future enrolments at the
school.
But
Mr Ng said principals had all along opposed the quota agreement.
He also questioned whether the bureau could do the monitoring effectively.
"It has never monitored recruitments of direct subsidy scheme
schools before."
Legislator
Emily Lau Wai-hing asked: "What can the bureau do should there
be an over-recruitment? Is the school going to kick out some students?"
3. First meeting of the Harbour-front Enhancement Committee convened
today
Hong
Kong Government, 6 May 2004
The
newly-formed Harbour-front Enhancement Committee (HEC), under the
chairmanship of Professor Lee Chack-fan, held its first meeting
today (May 6).
Members
agreed that the operation and proceedings of the Committee should
be open to members of the public and media and that they were welcome
to attend the HEC meetings as observers.
The
meeting discussed the terms of reference and decided that the principle
of sustainable development should be included. Furthermore, HEC
would provide advice on land use, transport and infrastructure,
landscaping and other issues related to existing and new harbour-fronts
and adjoining areas under the broader framework of planning, design
and development.
The
meeting also decided that task groups could be formed such that
Members interested in particular issues could discuss the issues
at greater depth and organize activities related to such issues.
Members
noted that they would be consulted and involved at very stage of
the respective reviews of the two remaining proposed reclamation
projects within Victoria Harbour, namely Wan Chai Development Phase
II and South East Kowloon Development.
At
the meeting, Members were briefed on the draft Study Brief for the
Stage 1 Planning Review and the approach of the comprehensive Planning
and Engineering Review of South East Kowloon Development. They were
also briefed on the scope, approach, methodology and programme of
the Planning and Engineering Review of Wan Chai Development Phase
II, which started in March 2004.
"In
view of the wide public concern on the issue of harbour reclamation,
members consider it prudent to monitor the reviews and to gauge
public opinion on the proposals of both reviews throughout the review
progress," Professor Lee, the Chairman of HEC said.
The
next HEC meeting, scheduled for 8 July 2004, would further discuss
how public consultation could be further improved in the planning
process.
Members
were briefed on the Harbour and Waterfront Plan Review as well as
some possible quick enhancement projects identified by the Planning
Department on the waterfront at Sheung Wan and Hung Hom.
"Members
noted that the community had a high expectation of the Committee
and looked forward to the Committee to make concrete and tangible
contributions towards improving the harbour-front," Professor
Lee said.
The
agenda of the meeting will be posted on a dedicated webpage on the
Committee and meeting minutes would also be uploaded onto the webpage
for public viewing starting from the next meeting. HEC will meet
on a regular bi-monthly basis but the task groups to be formed can
meet more frequently if Members so wish.
The
Government announced the appointment of the Chairman and Members
of the HEC on April 28 this year.
The
Committee comprises six senior Government officials and 23 other
non-official members who represent different quarters of the community
including professional institutes, green groups, harbour interest
bodies and the business sector, as well as individuals from varied
background who are knowledgeable in harbour related issues.
HEC
is tasked to advise the Government on planning, design and development
of the existing and new harbour-fronts and adjoining areas of the
Victoria Harbour, with a view to protecting the Harbour; improving
the accessibility, utilization and vibrancy of the harbour-front
areas; and safeguarding public enjoyment of the Harbour through
a balanced, effective and participatory approach.
4. Grants approved for 8 projects under Sustainable Development
Fund
Hong
Kong Government, 6 May 2004
A
total of eight projects have been awarded grants under the Sustainable
Development Fund in the first round of applications. Details of
the projects and the amounts granted are as follows:
1.
"Build an Environmentally Sustainable Society: From a Green
Network to a Sustainable Community" by Baptist Wing Lung Secondary
School
Grants:
$466,400 over a period of 14 months
2.
"Project S+E+E" by Ms Patsy Cheng, Ms Carol Kwok and Ms
Veronica Luk
Grants:
$232,490 over a period of 12 months
3.
"Education for Sustainable Development in Primary Schools"
by the Centre for University and School Partnership, Faculty of
Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Grants:
$663,500 over a period of 20 months
4.
"Urban Green" by Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association
Social Service Centre
Grants:
$1,378,070 over a period of 36 months
5.
"Sustainable Wanchai Community Development 21" by St James'
Settlement Community Development Service
Grants:
$1,306,900 over a period of 36 months
6.
"The Public Policy Innovation Competition: Strategies for Sustainable
Development in Hong Kong" by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth
Groups and Hong Kong Policy Research Institute Ltd
Grants:
$897,600 over a period of 34 months
7.
"Transforming Our Community Heritage - Schools, Parents, Community,
Professionals and Government Partnership in Enhancing Sustainable
Development of Our Community Heritage" by Centre of Architectural
Research for Education, Elderly, Environment and Excellence Ltd
Grants:
$1,285,555 over a period of 27 months
8.
"Green Culture Island - Peng Chau" by Green Peng Chau
Association
Grants:
$1,522,170 over a period of 30 months
5. West Rail contractor wins international quality award
KCRC
Press Release, 4 May 2004
The
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) is pleased to announce
that the contractor for the construction of West Rail Mei Foo Station,
Kier-Zen Pacific Joint Venture, has been awarded winner in the category
of International Performance of the Year of the Quality in Construction
Awards 2004 in the UK.
“The award is not only an accolade for Kier-Zen Pacific Joint
Venture but is also an international recognition of KCRC’s
successful project management strategies in bringing West Rail into
operation on time,” said Mr Ian Thoms, Director, West Rail.
“The judges were highly impressed by the ability of the contractor
to keep the project on track despite the complexity of the undertaking
and the demanding timetables. The proactive and partnering management
approach adopted by KCRC was crucial in facilitating the contractor
to respond to these stringent requirements,” Mr Thoms added.
The Quality in Construction Awards, organized by Construction News
in the UK, recognize those organizations with exceptional contributions
towards raising the standards in the construction industry.
Construction of West Rail commenced in October 1998. The 30.5km
long West Rail has nine stations connecting Nam Cheong in West Kowloon
with Tuen Mun in the North West New Territories. The railway was
opened for public service in December 2003.
West Rail contractor Kier-Zen Pacific Joint Venture was awarded
winner of
International Performance of the Year of the Quality in Construction
Awards 2004
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