A bit more on the Islands District Council vote on the road opening. The councillors’ position is slightly more nuanced than previously reported, although their underlying attitude is clear.  Here’s how it went down.

At the September 29 meeting of the IDC traffic and transport committee, Civic Party member Peter Yu moved a motion to oppose the road opening plan, making the essential point that it contravened the principle of the closed road.

This was amended by Mui Wo rural affairs committee head Wong Man-hon who moved that the council “opposes government opening of road without limit” because of the poor road quality.

In other words, the council accepted the roads are sub-standard, but doesn’t believe that should be an impediment to opening them up. Only the number of vehicles is the question.

As Save Lantau Alliance said: “Not opposing the unrestricted road opening has become approving restricted opening of the road.”

The amended motion passed easily. Only Yu and the other Civic Party member, Amy Yung, voted against. Two abstained. All the other council members voted for it, including the retiring Lantau member Rainbow Wong and the member-elect Randy Yu.

NB: The above account of the meeting came from the Save Lantau Alliance. It is absurd that two and a half months after the meeting the minutes still have not been posted, but that is standard practice for both Chinese and English language minutes.