The last two days’ South China Morning Posts have carried the following news: That plans for demolition of Queen’s Pier has “passed the hurdle of Legco” (The legislative council, Hong Kong’s so called lawmakers who are just another extended branch of the government, which is just an extended branch of the real leaders of Hong Kong, namely property developers) and that plans to demolish a charming area of Wan Chai called Wedding Card Street will go ahead.
What hurdle? Legco, instead of acting as a brake for the government’s increasingly megalomaniac behaviour, and instead of acting as representatives for the people they are supposed to serve, now seems to egg the government on and applaud its every outlandish move.
Firmly ensconced in 1972, our government still thinks that large infrastructure projects, more and ever wider roads and a relentless razing to the ground of every building older than ten years, is a sign of modernity.
We used to think the old administration under Tung Chee Hwa was bad! At least they dithered too much to do much damage. But the new administration, with the sinister-sounding “strong governance” as its slogan, goes to work with a ferocity seldom seen among politicians these days. The victims are: Victoria Harbour (an ever-diminishing body of water now resembling a creek) The Star Ferry Pier (icon of Hong Kong, soon to be a six-lane highway) Queen’s Pier (star of many movies and memories of Hong Kong people, ) most of the urban landscape of Wan Chai (property developers need the cash) and of course locals and tourists who love the funky Hong Kong with its jungle of garish signs, clothes drying lines, markets, bamboo baskets and cycling food delivery geezers.
Not satisfied with having got rid of almost everything that is unique about Hong Kong, the property developers, with the help of their grovelling servants the government, are turning their eyes on the un-spoilt area of Central; the market in Graham Street and neighbouring Peel Street, known from a thousand photos for their charming stairs and 100 year old shops.
It’s too popular among tourists and locals, the government reasons. Too many people visit the area just for ENJOYMENT and too many people work there for themselves, taking money away from our supermarket chains. It’s got to go. It’ll be an improvement to get some 50-storey buildings in there anyway, compared with the backward, countryside-like five and six stories they have now. Yes – great idea! Let’s get some SHOPPING MALLS in there, with, oh, I don’t know, a few McDonald’s outlets, maybe some Starbucks…? Excellent idea, Wong. Innovative! I’m writing it down.
Out with the old, in with the new,
we act like China maybe they will like us too!
Yes that’s how they think, our administration.
In the old China it used to be that when a new dynasty came to power, they slashed, burned and demolished everything that reminded them of the old one. I think our new government, eager to seem uber-Chinese now that they are masters of their own house, see themselves as a new dynasty. That must be the reason why they want to get rid of everything that reminds them of the past – even of their own childhood.
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