今天明報關於民建聯以60 萬「買下」商台節目的報導：
曾經擔任政務官的黃永昨日再為事件解畫時卻挑起另一個「火頭」，他在商台節目《在晴朗的一天出發》中表示，由於香港沒有政黨法，商台在接受組織贊助時難以「驗明正身」。
| Take me Home (Hong Kong Economic Times) - Hong Kong CWS 004 | 社區新聞 | By 譚敏聰 | 2010-04-23
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港島南區的低密度環境吸引不少人置業，唯一不足是交通問題。區議會主席馬月霞（獨立）表示，待港鐵南港島綫東段於2015年啟用，配合黃竹坑邨和工業區重建為大型商場和酒店，有望把南區打造成完善的住宅區及嶄新的旅遊中心。 翻看南區的新聞，多半與交通有關。服務社區25年的馬月霞指，香港仔隧道自1982年啟用後，一直是南區的交通要道，惟隧道在每日上下班的繁忙時段均出現擠塞，導致從黃竹坑前往灣仔約15分鐘的路程，往往大增至60分鐘以上。 引入鐵路 交通鬆綁 她表示，隧道擠塞與否，很大程度受制於跑馬地黃泥涌峽天橋的交通情況，南區居民十分被動，「很多居民只好提早2小時出門，早一步到灣仔區吃早餐，避開塞車時段。」 為解決擠塞，馬月霞在區議會內曾提出多個解決方法，包括引入架空鐵路及地鐵，「架空鐵路即類似泰國類型，但因費用高昂，未有財團承接而告終；而政府早年亦因為南區人口僅得28萬，未符合成本效益，否決興建地下鐵路。」 近年政府大力推動旅遊業，位於黃竹坑的海洋公園有意擴建，考慮到日後的遊客流量，政府和港鐵公司終首肯，為南區引入鐵路系統（南港島綫東段），從金鐘站經海洋公園、黃竹坑、利東，至海怡站。 發展黃竹坑邨助吸客 馬月霞笑言，鐵路網絡終於覆蓋至南區，「2015年通車後，區內交通相信有翻天覆地的變化。」她補充，現有路綫僅是計劃的一半，從香港大學至香港仔中心的一段（西段），正在設計階段。 隨着鐵路降臨及海洋公園擴建，黃竹坑工業區內已有多幢工廈表明會活化為酒店，馬月霞坦言，有信心南區可成為新的旅遊重心。她表示，前黃竹坑邨用地是發展關鍵，「香港仔是漁港，卻沒有如鯉魚門的海鮮食店，如能在該用地上興建大型商場，提供如赤柱般的特色小店，讓旅客留下消費，將有助南區發展旅遊業。」 着力改善混土廠污染情況 香港開埠前，南區是個小漁港，其純樸的民風一直延續至今，令該區的罪案率向來偏低。馬月霞稱，區內有眾多私人屋苑及豪宅項目，家庭入息中位數經常名列前茅，社會氣氛融洽，是市民置業安居的好地方。 區內較重大的污染問題，要數坐落於田灣的混凝土廠，這幅現時港島區唯一規劃作混凝土廠的土地，運作超過廿年，去年曾遷至柴灣，後再續用田灣現址。 期間廠房附近的居民，均投訴該廠令區內空氣混濁，對廠方是次原址運作，馬月霞坦言會盡全力監察及跟進多項改善措施，廠方亦表示會在廠房設置電閘、當值護衛及倒車視像系統等，確保交通安全。 | ||||||
| Sing Tao Daily A18 | 每日雜誌 | 2010-04-15
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港府預留四幅來自黃竹坑、東涌、將軍澳及大埔的私家醫院地皮，自上月三十一日截收意向書後，食物及衞生局共收到三十份意向書，當中二十一份來自本地機構，七份則來自海外機構，其餘兩份來自本地及海外合作機構。據本報追查所得，今次交意向書的「過江龍」，包括內地、日本及新加坡的大型醫療集團，以及美國的保險公司，本地亦有名醫聯合找財團「揼本」，期望在私營醫療市場分一杯羹。本報記者 據悉，除陳智思的亞洲金融集團與泰國第二大上市醫療集團康民國際已公開表示對黃竹坑地皮的興趣外，另外還有多家海外醫療機構及保險公司，已入意向書，以「猛龍過江」姿態，欲染指本港的私營醫療市場。 教會慈善角色漸淡出 其中，有「富豪御醫」之稱的心臟科專家謝德富承認，他聯同幾位本港醫生、美國保險公司、東南亞醫療集團及本港地產商，已向政府提交意向書，對黃竹坑及另一塊醫院地皮表示興趣，「過去教會扮演了提供慈善醫療的角色，但近年逐漸淡出，我們希望能填補這個空間，故今次將有慈善基金的參與，目標是中產市民，又會跟醫療保險集團合作，是美國最大之一。這是長綫投資，也是回應政府醫療改革的其中一環。」但他強調，現時仍屬初步構思，一切要待港府公布招標條件，「現在是政府做莊，我們落注，若競爭對手踴躍，就未必去馬。」 另外，內地、日本及新加坡均有醫療集團想進軍香港，知情者說，由武漢、東莞等地民企投資，○六年開業的東莞康華醫院已投意向書，「康華有港人投資，在武漢及東莞有兩?醫院，普通科病牀都有二千張，成立時間雖短，但發展極具規模，故有雄心來港發展。」 東莞康華亦感興趣 東莞康華醫院在○二年中籌建，投資近十八億元，去年底更開設港醫VIP門診，招攬本港名醫坐鎮。該院香港VIP門診負責人王裕民醫生說，院方一直有興趣往香港發展，但有否入紙申請，他要再了解。「三十名港醫首次在內地醫院坐診，提供港式的醫療診斷服務。」他指，該院有豐富的民營經驗及充裕資金，香港則有人才有軟件，到香港發展可結合兩地優勢，《粵港合作框架協議》也鼓勵廣東省民營醫院來港發展，「事實上，香港將來興建的民營醫院，服務的不光是本港七百萬人口，而是粵港四千七百萬人口。」 傳聞已遞交意向書的新加坡醫療集團RafflesMedicalGroup(RMG)，早在一九七六年成立，是當地最大醫療集團之一，在當地有六十五家診所，另外在本港太古坊及機場均設有醫療中心，本報向RMG查詢投意向書事宜，惟對方指昨日未能回覆。知情者說：「RMG多年前已想在港立足，跟本地醫療界有緊密聯繫，先在香港搞醫療中心，幾年前又在內地辦私家醫院，累積足夠經驗後，更有把握進軍本港私院市場。有些海外醫療集團只以顧問名義遞交意向書，故外界未必估到他們有份投意向書。」 方津生高永文有意聯辦 本地亦有不少私家醫生集結力量交意向書，香港防癌會主席高永文坦言，已聯同骨科名醫方津生及其他醫療界人士投意向書，「我們原本打算在內地發展私院服務，但一直找不到合適地方，後來見港府撥地，方醫生便提議嘗試交意向書，我們擁有管理經驗，現時正物色投資者。」此外，也有行內人稱，有多位在中環開診的外科名醫亦聯合起來，找得財團支持，向政府交意向書，「現時私營市場最缺乏是手術室和病牀，這班外科醫生想有地方提供一條龍服務。」 臨牀腫瘤科專科醫生岑信棠表示，有本地加內地的組織找他做顧問，該組織有興趣投黃竹坑的地皮，但不便透露組織名稱。有知情者指，不少對黃竹坑地皮有興趣的組織，也有意一併申請葛亮洪醫院的地皮，正與政府磋商可行性。 | ||||||
It is time for Europe to adjust the way that it thinks about nationality, cultural roots, and how it deals with immigrants. In a world of increasing mobility, an aging Europe will badly need the immigrants of whom it is so frightened – and it should give them a voice in local politics soon (say, one year) after they arrive.
After all, it is more important for taxpayers to participate in local politics than to sit on the sidelines waiting to be given the rights of native citizens. Democratic participation is the best way to integrate people into society and make them feel that their opinions count, regardless of whether they have formal citizenship and thus the right to vote.
I should declare a personal interest here: I was stateless for a time after my birth in Geneva. My father was American, but naturalized too recently to hand his US citizenship on to me. I was born on Swiss soil, but that did not give me the right to a Swiss passport. In the end, the Irish accepted me because that was my mother’s nationality. I have a framed copy of the Act of Parliament by Dail Eireann that was needed.
I have lived in Europe all my life, mostly in Belgium, but never in Ireland, and I have never voted, despite the fact that the Maastricht treaty entitles me to vote both in European elections and in Belgium’s local elections. I suppose that I belong to an expat generation that has not been educated to consider voting an essential right, if not a duty, and I regret that. But voting in Belgium is compulsory, so once you have started there is no jumping ship without a fine or a good excuse.
Foreign voter participation is clearly bound to work best at a local level, where the issues are more concrete. That is where Switzerland demonstrates that giving foreigners a voice is good policy, one that also means teaching citizens to understand the benefits of open democracy. The canton of Neuchatel (one of the 26 mini-states that comprise the Swiss confederation) lies alongside the French border. Its official language is French, it has its own constitution, and it has created a highly efficient Multicultural Cohesion Service.
The Council of Europe, which for 60 years has promoted European integration through human rights and culture, includes Neuchatel among 10 “intercultural” cities that it is studying for “best practice” policies and governance in multicultural societies. In the case of Neuchatel, this includes the canton as well as the picturesque lakeside city. Unemployment is relatively low, despite hard times for its major industry – watch-making – and foreigners represent one-quarter of its 170,000 residents.
Much of Neuchatel’s progressive attitude toward foreign residents is attributable to one man, Thomas Facchinetti, who started a multicultural cohesion service 20 years ago and has steadily built it up. Among his achievements is a Citizens’ Charter that is handed to every new resident to explain Swiss participatory democracy and lay out its rules. His offices also have an anti-racism service, offer well publicized access to inexpensive French classes, and distribute booklets on topics like forced marriages and headscarves.
The fact that Facchinetti himself is the lynchpin of the canton’s open-minded views may be seen as a weakness, but it is also its strength. Tolerance has a face – the neat smiling figure of this son of Italian immigrants, who is easily accessible to the canton’s citizens. Partly as a result of his efforts, Neuchatel was one of the four cantons in Switzerland to vote against the ban on new minarets.
If people are to feel committed to the place where they live, they must be allowed to influence decision-making, and that influence should not depend on nationality. In Neuchatel, many naturalized citizens, including elected local councilors, retain their foreign passports for several reasons: among European Union passport-holders, doing so allows their children to study in the EU or to work there themselves. Among non-EU citizens, it allows them to re-settle in their parents’ or grandparents’ country if they so desire.
No two countries, regions, or cities are the same. Geography, budgets, political systems, and the number and nature of its immigrants differ. But where Neuchatel could serve as a model is in its hands-on attitude to helping foreigners fit in by making it easy for people to learn the local language, opening the voting booths to all, and encouraging foreigners to represent their country’s communities.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2010.
www.project-syndicate.org
貼上幾張復活節假期我去岳陽旅行的照片和各位分享，更多照片可以查看我的facebook：
I share with you some pictures I took in my Yueyang trip:
放假前接受了無線明珠台的訪問，主題是關於教會用地，電視台希望以我一直跟進的安貧小姐妹安老院擬改建住建作為例子（我的跟進，可見：http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=8326），探討香港教會用地的變更。節目約在四月底播出。
I took an interview with the TVB Pearl, them theme is about the 'the use of church land in HK'. The TVB is interested in the issue I've been following (see http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/our_wch/article?mid=8326). The programme will probably be braodcast in the end of April.
明天開始就是連續五日的公眾假期，比農曆新年的假期還要長，先祝大家假期快樂! 我會去湖南的岳陽旅行幾天，見識一下名聞天下的洞庭湖和岳陽樓，當是拜訪古今文人墨客，因為李白、韓愈、白居易、孟浩然、陸遊、歐陽修等等都曾在岳陽留下他們的足跡和篇章。其中大家最熟悉的當然是范仲淹的千古名句：「先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂！」我放在下面，大家溫習這篇中學時必讀的課文,就當是我送給大家的愚人節禮物 吧
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范仲淹
岳陽樓記
慶曆四年春，滕子京謫守巴陵郡。越明年，政通人和，百廢具興，乃重修岳陽樓 ，增其舊制，刻唐賢今人詩賦於其上；屬予作文以記之。
予觀夫巴陵勝狀，在洞庭一湖。銜遠山，吞長江，浩浩湯湯，橫無際涯；朝暉夕陰，氣象萬千；此則岳陽樓之大觀也，前人之述備矣。然則北通巫峽，南極瀟湘，遷客騷人，多會於此，覽物之情，得無異乎？
若夫霪雨霏霏，連月不開；陰風怒號，濁浪排空；日星隱耀，山岳潛形；商旅不行，檣傾楫摧；薄暮冥冥，虎嘯猿啼；登斯樓也，則有去國懷鄉，憂讒畏譏，滿目蕭然，感極而悲者矣！
至若春和景明，波瀾不驚，上下天光，一碧萬頃；沙鷗翔集，錦鱗游泳，岸芷汀蘭，郁郁青青。而或長煙一空，皓月千里，浮光躍金，靜影沈璧，漁歌互答，此樂?登斯樓也，則有心曠神怡，寵辱偕忘、把酒臨風，其喜洋洋者矣！
嗟夫！予嘗求古仁人之心，或異二者之為，何哉？不以物喜，不以己悲，居廟堂之高，則憂其民；處江湖之遠，則憂其君。是進亦憂，退亦憂；然則何時而樂耶？其必曰：「先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂歟！」噫！微斯人，吾誰與歸！時六年九月十五日。
Happy Easter!!I wish you have a great tiime with you family and friends in the comoing long holiday. I'll go to Yueyang, Hunam to visit the Dong Ting Hu and Yueyang Lou(洞庭湖和岳陽樓).
They are so famous that that I'm sure everyone who study Classical Chinese literature has learnt Fan Zhong Yan's essay about Yanyang Lou.
