Stall keepers protest against development planLei Yue Mun closes for a day

ABOUT 100 seafood stalls, res-taurants and shops in Lei Yue Mun (鯉魚門) closed for busi-

ness on Tuesday to protest against a decision to turn a car park into a private housing site.

The day-long closure in the fi shing village popular with seafood lovers cost businesses at least HK$2 million in lost revenue.

Local traders said the government has de-cided to redevelop the 136-slot temporary car park at Lei Yue Mun Path into private housing. It will leave only 40 parking spaces for diners visit-ing the seafood restaurants and businesses. Angry stall owners hoisted banners criticising the government. They broke dishes to symbol-ise how their livelihoods are being smashed.

The protesters accused the government of not listening to their views and blindly develop-ing housing “without caring about the real needs of the people”.

Traders said the 370 fl ats planned will only add to traffi c congestion in the area.

They demanded that permanent parking spaces be set up. They also warned of a silent protest at the car park on 9 June, the day it is supposed to be closed down.

Spokesman Wong Ping-kuen (黃炳權) of the Concern Group for Lei Yun Mun Car Park (保衞鯉魚門旅遊區關注組) said up to 600 cars ar-rive in the area at weekends. Some diners have to wait 30 minutes for a parking space or even cancel reservations, he said.

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Hong Kong TodayPublic Health

Energy Technology &the EnvironmentModern China

Traders smash dishes to symbolise how a planned housing scheme would hit business. (Sing Tao Daily)

GlobalisationPersonal Development &Interpersonal Relationships ay

About 100 seafood stalls, restaurants and shops in Lei Yue Mun protested against a government decision to turn a temporary car park with 136 parking spaces into a private housing site. They closed for business for one day. The protesters are worried that there will not be enough car parking spaces for their customers and the increase in population will worsen traffic congestion in the area. The car park will be closed down early next month.

Key Idea

P03● Text : Anvil Ong

● Photos : Sing Tao Daily

Choose the best answer:

2M: stopping operation or services

E: The closure of the Japanese department store was announced yesterday.

E: Lack of funding will mean closure of the tutorial school.

closure (n) 停業

3M: change an area of a town by replacing old

buildings, roads, etc, with new ones

E: The amusement park will be redeveloped into an offi ce building.

E: The government has no plans to redevelop the area.

redevelop (v) 重建

1M: a small, outdoor shop with an open front

E: I usually buy fruit from the market stalls.

E: His father owns a noodle stall.

stall (n) 攤位

4M: raise

E: The fl ag was hoisted at six every morning.

E: Cranes are used to hoist the container.

hoist (v) 升起

M: act of being blocked or crowded and causing diffi culties

E: Hong Kong’s traffi c congestion is getting worse.

E: The doctor gave me a spray to relieve nasal congestion.

congestion (n) 擁擠7

5M: represent something

E: The dove symbolises peace.

E: What does the green section of the fl ag symbolise?

symbolise (v) 象徵

6M: without thinking about what one is doing

E: We should not blindly follow other people’s advice

E: Some people just blindly follow orders.

blindly (adv) 盲目地

Vocabulary Reading ComprehensionM : Meaning E : Example

Answers on P12

Friday 16 May 2014

LS in a nutshell Learning Card

Stilt houses can also be seen in Tai O.

Where else can one see stilt

houses in Hong Kong other than

Lei Yue Mun?

Lei Yue Mun (鯉魚門) is famous for its Seafood Bazaar (海鮮美食村). Customers first buy fish from a tank in a market stall. Then they take it to one of the nearby restaurants to have it cooked, but they will have to pay for the cooking. It is also one of the few places in Hong Kong where one can still see stilt houses.

1. What is the temporary car park

going to be used for?

A. public housingB. private housingC. commercial purposesD. educational purposes

2. How many parking places are

there in the temporary car park?

A. 100 B. 136C. 200 D. 500

3. What did the local traders do

during the protest?

A. they sang songs B. they blocked roadsC. they smashed dishesD. they started fi res

4. What will be the result of having

public housing in the area?

A. traffi c congestion will become more serious

B. there will be fewer private fl atsC. people will leave the areaD. more people will visit the stalls

5. The people are protesting ______

the new measures.

A. aboveB. aroundC. againstD. no word is needed

6. The protesters _____ more parking

spaces.

A. askedB. requestedC. demandedD. applied

Knowledge