Thanks to
Living Lamma for looking into preserving Yung Shue Wan's last remaining traditional village house!
Only yesterday SCMP published their letter "Ill-conceived plans to pour more concrete threaten beautiful Lamma". Maybe there will be another public commentary on Hong Kong government's efforts at redeveloping away the last remnants of North Lamma's cultural heritage.
The Conservancy Association might at least be able to provide some ideas on how to proceed with this issue.
I realize that the NT native males have a colonial-era pact with the government which allows them to build a three-storey block for their family.
I also realize that this most anachronistic (and many would say chauvinistic) of colonial arrangements is increasingly being (ab)used by "native village sons" purely for huge financial gain rather than to house their families. Obviously the arrangement has nothing to do with the protection of traditional values or culture.
So what about the community's interests?
From what I've heard the landlord in question hasn't even lived on Lamma in living memory, and as far as I know he has no interest in relocating back either. The demolishing of the last traditional village house - in the middle of Yung Shue Wan's Main Street and the tourist trail - would only serve to fatten one person's bank account.
The government obviously has the authority to solve this issue to everyone's benefit by simply appropriating the village house and the lot in question, declaring it as Lamma's cultural heritage and compensating the absentee landlord either with another lot to be developed or by handing him the much-coveted cash directly. Would anyone object to such an arrangement?
Time to write a letter of my own to the government...