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1. Digital 21 strategy has failed to deliver

2. Marketing group issues spam prevention tips

3. Harbour protectors demand more details

1. Digital 21 strategy has failed to deliver
ANGUS FORSYTH and YVONNE CHIA, SCMP 9 December 2003

The government's Digital 21 strategy - presented first in 1998 and updated in 2001 - declares that its aims are to build information technology infrastructure and services and to connect Hong Kong to the world as a leading e-city.

As an internal e-government digitalisation programme, the strategy has been successfully implemented. Most government departments have websites that are helpful, user-friendly and regularly updated.

More than 90 per cent of public services will be deliverable online by the end of next year, according to the government.

This has obvious benefits in transforming Hong Kong into a knowledge economy.

But, to date, Digital 21 remains an internal governmental programme that has not been very successful on an external level between the government and the public or between Hong Kong and the world.

The strategy scores well on the level of providing government information to the public.

However, it scores poorly in failing to offer the public any killer applications or compelling reasons for them to use such services online.

In addition, the cumbersome procedures users must undertake before they can use such services deter people from using them.

To obtain the Hongkong Post e-Cert, for example, many users need to upgrade their operating systems (which must be Windows), study a lengthy and jargon-filled manual and then visit the post office personally.

The launch of the Smart ID card programme will increase the user base but killer applications are needed to get cardholders to use e-cert.

In the government's words, Digital 21 is intended to "make Hong Kong a leading digital city, connecting the world".

But it has failed on this level. A glaring example of this failure lies in the government's lack of international, mutual recognition of certification authorities or schemes of any kind.

The government must take the initiative to deal with this issue because larger corporations (such as HSBC) have already moved their data centres out of Hong Kong for cost reasons, and data is not protected by statute.

Hong Kong is a small place. If there are transactions where identity and security are in question, it is often easier for parties to meet face to face.

For cross-border transactions, the cross-border mutual recognition of certification authorities is essential, as is their smooth co-operation.

Without mutual recognition, parties are often more willing to use well-known certification authorities such as Verisign, irrespective of whether these are recognised by Hong Kong statute.

In formulating e-strategies, it is vital that an organisation has first-hand information on what its peers are up to and can voice its concerns in consortiums shaping regional or global e-strategies.

But Hong Kong has not joined international consortiums such as CommerceNet and the Organisation for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards.

The Hong Kong government has concentrated on building a strong IT infrastructure.

Ensuring our legal framework is both up to date and compatible with the cyber laws of other countries also requires serious attention.

The government has reviewed the Electronic Transactions Ordinance enacted in 2000, but the proposed changes are piecemeal and overly conservative.

They recognise the legal status of e-signatures other than as just digital signatures but only in transactions not involving "government entities", which are broadly defined.

Also, Hong Kong's Electronic Transactions Ordinance may not be keeping up with Guangdong province's e-commerce regulations, promulgated as China's first regional e-regulations in December last year.

Given such weak external links, one should not be surprised if the 2004 strategy fails to connect Hong Kong to the world.

But to be fair, implementation of the strategy so far has boosted Hong Kong as a knowledge-based economy and helped form connections between the government and the public.

The government often boasts of Hong Kong's e-commerce readiness.

So why is e-commerce still unpopular in Hong Kong - especially among small and medium-size enterprises?

These questions are hard but have to be answered.

With the market beginning to pick up after the bursting of the dotcom bubble, it is high time to review our policies.

Public consultation on Draft 2004 Digital 21 Strategy, the latest review of the policy, ends tomorrow. We should offer suggestions now rather than complain later.

Angus Forsyth and Yvonne Chia are partners in the IT practice group at Stevenson, Wong & Co, legal advisers to the Hong Kong IT Federation, the Hong Kong & Mainland Software Industry Co-operation Association, the Internet Professionals Association, the Internet Service Providers Association and the Logistics Association.

2. Marketing group issues spam prevention tips
SCMP, 9 December 2003

Hong Kong: The Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA) has started advising consumers on how to prevent spam from reaching their inboxes. Its recommendations include use of filtering software, how to protect an e-mail address and understanding data privacy policies. The ADMA said it was working on guidelines for what it terms "responsible and ethical internet marketing practices". More than 30 billion messages are sent worldwide each day, but e-mail filtering firm Messagelabs said last week the volume of spam had overtaken that of legitimate mail for the first time in November, making up 54 per cent of all mail sent. The group's stand was supported by Microsoft and Symantec. The guidelines are available for download at www.asiadmacom/adma/resources/guidelines.asp.

3. Harbour protectors demand more details
CHEUNG CHI-FAI, SCMP 9 December 2003

Harbour conservationists yesterday urged the government to release more information on the Central reclamation project to allow further studies into dramatically scaling back the project.

The call comes before the government launches its Court of Final Appeal challenge of the July ruling that the proposed Wan Chai reclamation, stretching from the Convention Centre to Causeway Bay, breached the Harbour Protection Ordinance.

The original proposal includes land for a Central-Wan Chai bypass and for commercial development such as hotels.

But the Court of Appeal in July laid down three principles for reclamation under the ordinance, namely that there must be a compelling, overriding and present need, no viable alternative and minimum impairment of the harbour.

The outcome of the appeal will determine the future of the battle to protect Victoria Harbour. The former chairman of the Society for Protection of the Harbour, Winston Chu Ka-sun, said at the weekend that the group would withdraw its judicial review of the Central project scheduled for February if it lost the final appeal.

Speaking at a public hearing on harbour reclamation at Legco yesterday, Mr Chu said it would be impossible for the group to continue fighting unless the government released the results of a feasibility study into the project.

The society's plan reduces the size of the Central and Wan Chai reclamation from 52 to 25 hectares, while keeping the Central and Wan Chai bypass to ease traffic congestion.

"Without the report, which was funded by taxpayers' money, it is not possible for us to go on with the study. As a non-governmental organisation, we don't have the same manpower and resources as the government," he said.

The report was completed by international consultant firm Atkins, which was paid $35 million last year.

The society spent less than $100,000 formulating its plan, with free assistance from professionals.

But Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Michael Suen Ming-yeung said it was "surprising" the society produced a plan half as large as the government's without providing further details.

"I thought we were expecting a comprehensive plan, with its feasibility considered as well," he said.

Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor also snubbed the society's conceptual study, saying it was nowhere near the level of the government's plan.

Both officials did not directly comment on whether the society would be given a copy of the results of the feasibility study.

During the hearing, legislators and concern groups also focused on the possibility of reducing the size of the Central reclamation, which will accommodate the bypass, a harbour promenade, small-scale commercial development and a military and public piers.

Legislator Choy So-yuk questioned the size of pumping and cooling facilities to be relocated to the new harbour front, saying it was crucial for a smaller reclamation.

But a government reclamation review said there was no room for downsizing, adding it might be 100 times more expensive to alter the design of facilities.