Evidence Shows Debates between Gov & Provisional Regional Council
Lung Mei Alliance
Press Release
Evidence Shows Debates between Gov & Provisional Regional Council
Gov Argued Sand Loss & Too expensiveTai Po District Councillors Request Extension of Ting Kok Road
Difficult, Require Reclamation & Sacrifice Cycleway
Severe Opposition from Green Groups
Official documents in 1998 showed that the government disagrees the construction of artificial beach at Lung Mei
The Government is now forcing to have the Lung Mei Bathing Breach constructed, despite its strong opposition against such construction. According to the official documents on meetings between the government and the Provisional Regional Council, Lung Mei alliance found that the former was in fact not favour the idea of constructing an artificial breach and had raised numerous reasons.
In the meeting held on 12 May 1998, the government put forward 5 major objections against the construction of Lung Mei Bathing Breach, namely, the tiny beach left at low tide, sand loss, disturbance on ecology, potential inappropriate use of carparks and the huge construction cost. (Note that the Provisional Regional Council was merged with and replaced by other bureaus and departments in 2000. The proposal of the construction of Lung Mei Bathing Breach was then pursued by the Tai Po District Council instead.)
The Lung Mei beach will increase the traffic load and may need to extend the Ting Kok Road. What is the fate of the cycleway?
However, these reasons were not accepted by the Provisional Regional Council.
Interestingly, the objections raised by the government in those days were very similar to those by the green groups today. The radical change of the government views is confusing and may indicate irrationality and unpredictability. The approval of the artificial breach was very likely to be a political, rather than scientific and professional, decision made by the former Chief Executive Donald Tsang.
In the discussion of the construction of Lung Mei Bathing Beach, we must also consider the necessary transportation implication – aggravating the nearly saturated Ting Kok Road. Recently, members of the Tai Po District Council have been demanding an extension of Ting Kok Road. Green Groups clearly stated their opposition. They pointed out that many sections of Ting Kok Road were in fact near the coastline and therefore hard to expand. It is irrational and unacceptable to have land reclamation or to sacrifice cycleway for an extension of Ting Kok Road for the purpose of visiting an artificial beach.
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