19 November 2004

Dear Fellow Engineer,

Survey on Fellow Engineers' views on the following issues:

•  Joint actions to press the government for more infrastructure and building works

In view of the prevailing high unemployment rate of the local construction sector of over 16% (while the overall unemployment has recently dropped to 6.7%), I and my two colleagues of The Alliance, Hon Abraham Shek (representing Real Estate and Construction Functional Constituency) and Hon Patrick Lau (representing Architectural, Surveying and Planning Functional Constituency), have invited professional institutes, trade bodies and government professional staff associations related to the construction industry to join forces to press the government for urgent and speedy release of more infrastructure and building works.

Representatives of the invited professional organisations and trade bodies attended the first two meetings held on 1 and 8 November 2004 respectively. At the latter meeting, it was agreed that an alliance would be formed. I have actually proposed to take to the streets to demonstrate our frustration on the government's indifference to the difficulties facing the industry. However, some of the professional organisations have expressed their reservation on this drastic action. I would therefore like to hear from fellow engineers direct on my proposal.

•  West Kowloon Cultural District Development (WKCD)

The government has earmarked a waterfront site of about 40 hectares at the southern tip of the West Kowloon Reclamation for an integrated development of arts, cultural, entertainment, commercial and residential facilities. In September 2002, the government established a Steering Committee for Development for the West Kowloon Cultural District (SC), chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, to plan and guide implementation of the project. In October 2002, the government announced that the SC had decided in principle to adopt the Foster design (the First Prize of the concept plan competition held in 2001) as the conceptual basis for the masterplan for the WKCD and that its key feature, the distinctive canopy, would be retained.

In September 2003, the government issued an invitation to the private sector worldwide to submit proposals for the development and operations of the facilities of the WKCD. The government has received five proposals and it has recently announced the 3 shortlisted proposals. The 3 shortlisted proposals will be displayed very soon in a public exhibition for public comments.

The announcement of the 3 shortlisted proposals has again ignited the debate on the WKCD. Should fellow engineers have any comments on the project, please let me know as soon as possible.

Fellow engineers are welcome to send their views to me, preferably by fax to 2570 5838 and e-mail to rctho@capitalchina.com , not later than 11 December 2004 .

Yours,

　　(signed)
Ir Dr Raymond HO Chung-tai