The DAB on Thursday announced the formation of a harbour connect group that aims to help build a world-class Victoria Harbour waterfront environment to improve the public's sense of well-being and boost the economy.

Lawmaker Vincent Cheng, one of its convenors, said the group also hopes to step up promotional efforts with regards to Hong Kong’s harbourside promenades to tourists at the same time so that they don't miss out on a chance to savour the signature waterfront when visiting major attractions nearby.

“On our waterfront, we have the West Kowloon Cultural District, we have the Kai Tak Sports Park, we have a lot of world-class facilities in Kowloon and Hong Kong harbourside,” he said.

“So we would love to promote that and let people use more [of] these waterfront world-class facilities.”

The group, Cheng said, will talk to the Tourism Board about stepping up promotional efforts to further enhance the SAR’s unique attractiveness as an international tourism hub.

Another key goal is to improve the water quality of the harbour.

Another convenor and legislator, Jody Kwok, said decades-old odour issues have been affecting the quality of life for residents in such places as Tsuen Wan, Cheung Sha Wan and Hung Hom.

The group wants the government to monitor water quality, publish relevant data regularly and tackle the root cause of the issue – the misconnection of sewage pipes, she said, adding that seawater quality lies at the heart of efforts to enhance waterfront conditions.

In addition, it will also look at how harbourfront connectivity can be further improved in the city.

That will focus on six districts – Hong Kong Island East and West; East, Central and West Kowloon; and New Territories South West – in the first phase.

"The whole harbourside is already very connected. I'm sure... more than 80 percent are connected, but some of the areas, they're not connected," Cheng said.

"We will find out what's the reason about that and anything that we can do to make it happen... They got some buildings, they block it or some different issues, we are trying to figure [this] out."

He also revealed that the group is organising a harbour promenade tour next year that aims to boost economic vitality along the waterfront to mark the 30th anniversary of the SAR's establishment.



Edited by Tony Sabine