Push for more reclamation in harbor looms

Reclamation along the shores of Victoria Harbor should be allowed, argues Federation of Trade Unions legislator Alice Mak Mei-kuen.

Mak is to table a bill to amend the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, which had its scope expanded in December 1999 to cover the entire harbor.

Mak wants to reverse the process through a private member's bill in the Legislative Council to return to the original version of the ordinance so that only the central part of the harbor is protected from reclamation.

She said such a move would allow for the development of infrastructure, including a pedestrian tunnel and tourist attractions.

"The original intent of the ordinance was to limit the reclamation in Victoria Harbor," she said, "but it has now limited other construction to develop the harbor.

"It was used to call the construction of the Central-Wan Chai bypass to a halt through a judicial review, but construction of a flyover across the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter for pedestrians and cyclists might not be able to start due to the ordinance."

She proposed the center of the harbor be within lines stretching from Kowloon Bay to North Point and the Western Harbour Crossing.

But Angus Ho Hon-wai, executive director of Greeners Action, said Mak's idea was astonishing, pointing out policies for Victoria Harbour went through after much discussion.

"There was a lot of reclamation before," Ho said, "and many people joked the harbor was turning into a river. A reversal in policy will deal a huge blow to environmental protection."

He also said further reclamation would cause more pollution in the harbor.

The court of final appeal also made it clear in a judgement in 2004 that there must be overriding public need before a reclamation can take place, Ho said, and Mak's proposal ran contrary to the ruling.