Complacency dangerous (Letter to Editor, 25 October 2006)

The Liberal Party shares the views and concerns expressed by Christine Loh Kung-wai in "Tsang's missing link" (October 19) over the chief executive's recent remarks on air pollution.

Whether or not he intended it, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen appears to have suggested that the smog that so regularly envelopes Hong Kong does not affect our health but our psychological views of our environment. In such remarks, we detect a potentially dangerous complacency.

The air pollution is unquestionably a risk to our health. A study by academics from three local universities earlier this year estimated that it may be causing 1,600 deaths a year - or four a day - and burdening us with HK$20 billion a year in additional health costs.

One may quibble over the statistics but surely one cannot dismiss such detailed research out of hand. It is incomprehensible to imply that the effect of worsening air quality is purely a matter of visual aesthetics.

Mr Tsang has promised to make improving our air quality a policy priority. It is crucial for the sake of our children and for the sake of our city that we begin to see concrete progress in this direction, as well as an acknowledgment that pollution and health are inextricably linked.

JAMES TIEN, chairman, Liberal Party