Dear irsychan
I appreciate and share your concern for the potential harm done to the Tai Po Market egretry.
I would like to clarify that this unfortunate situation has been handled professionally and thoroughly by HKBWS staff.
As a result it has been resolved amicably with the department concerned (CEDD), their contractors, AFCD, HKBWS (staff and concerned individual members), and other NGOs and despite the fact that the issue required ecological, legal, contractual and PR issues to be resolved. All this takes time.
The reason that information was not disclosed earlier was because I asked that it be held up until we had received a formal response from CEDD so that members would receive the most relevant information. This judgment was based on my environmental advocacy work over 20 years on such cases for HKBWS both and other conservation NGOs.
I would also like to clarify that HKBWS staff:
a) are not required to provide a blow by blow account of the progress of their work on this website;
b) work under the direction of the Society's Executive Committee and senior management. It is simply not practical for them to take direction from HKBWS members or anyone else choosing to post on this forum.
Should you have further thoughts about how HKBWS's conservation work might be done better please either write to the Executive Committee directly, or if you prefer, send me a PM and I will be happy to discuss with you further.
Thank you
Mike Kilburn
Vice Chairman
Chair, Conservation Subcommittee
