The government has recently released concept plans for the future development of Lantau. The northern part is proposed to be mainly 'working' areas with facilities such as a logistic park, while the south is developed further into leisure and tourist attractions.

Lantau is the last piece of virgin land in Hong Kong with ample natural resources and characteristics of special scientific values. Conservation should be the prime and foremost objective for any of its future development. Hong Kong is already highly urbanized with crowded living environments, air pollution, traffic congestion and insufficient open spaces. Most Hong Kong people would not like to lose this virgin land further.

As for tourism development, the principle of Sustainable Tourism should be upheld. It means that any tourism development should not be so shortsighted as to sacrifice the future attraction of the place. Consuming the place is harmful to a sustainable development of Lantau.

In line with this concept of Sustainable Tourism, any tourist attractions should be built on a harmonious integration with nature, without artificially adding so-called "cyber attractions." For example, further development of Tai O should build on the basis of local economy and be beneficial to the improvement of the living quality of local people, but not as a golden chance for big corporations to cream-off. Moreover, tourist attractions should be developed by preserving the cultural heritages of Tai O, by facilitating local people to be the main actors in delivering tourism services, and to encourage tourists to appreciate the original nature and culture of Tai O rather than to exploit the place.

Casinos should not be built in Lantau. The proposal to build the Container Terminal No.10 should be halted, as it will involve a big scale reclamation that is detrimental to rare species nearby.

We would like to add that we have taken the needs of our nursery children (and their parents) into consideration when we formulated our opinions and ideas on the development of Lantau. How Lantau will be developed inevitably affects the future environmental quality of our younger generation and their best interests should be considered.

Conservation should be the paramount mission in future Lantau development, and sustainable development should be the guiding principle.

The fact that poverty exists in such an affluent society is certainly a shame. On the other hand, the affluence gives Hong Kong an opportunity to demonstrate to the world on how to make good use of its resources to promote a sustainable society.