It isn't an actual (真實的)
street, but rather a collection of adjacent (鄰接的) streets where merchants (商人) selling textiles(紡織品), garments (衣著) and apparel (服裝) are concentrated (集中的).
Many have been there for ages,
and are so successful they've turned the district into an attraction for
bargain hunters, overseas buyers and tourists following guide books.
But have any of the past
administrations intervened (介入) to make the fashion street what
it is today?
Fortunately, no. Had they done
so, I'm afraid we wouldn't likely see the vibrancy (活力) so characteristic (獨特的) of the locale (場所).
In a free market,
the participants (參與者) know what's best for them - government
officials don't.
Therefore, it's worrisome (令人煩惱的) to hear commerce minister Gregory So Kam- leung say the
fashion street is on the government's radar.
He
told the Legislative Council last week that his bureau will work with the Hong
Kong Tourism Board to repackage (重新包裝) the street and promote it.
It's disturbing
because civil servants aren't trained to be creative, but to do everything
strictly by the book.
On one hand, this is a
valuable civil service culture since, as they stick to (忠於) the rules, they're not expected to show any favoritism (偏袒) to anybody - including the chief executive.
But
on the other hand, it could be the kiss of death(死亡之吻) if they're asked to
decide what's best for the merchants.
There
have been plenty of examples of failures(失敗) where activities of strong
local characteristics were relocated (重新安置) before completely vanishing from the scene.
Remember
"Cloth Street" - which was Wing On Street - in Central? It used to
bustle with hawkers selling cloth and office ladies picking material of their
favorite shades and patterns(樣本). But since the hawkers were moved to the Western Market to
make way for redevelopment, they've now largely disappeared from the historic(歷史上著名的) building as restaurants took over(接管) their space amid surging (猛漲) rents.
I
have little doubt (懷疑) the minister's motive(動機) is to help the fashion
street thrive (興旺) further to become another major landmark (地標) in the SAR. Unfortunately, even good intentions (意向) can result in disaster.
What
will happen to the Sham Shui Po merchants if the area gets a total facelift (翻新)? Rents are bound to soar(暴漲), big enterprises (企業) move in and family businesses displaced(取代).
In the end, it
won't be the same fashion street full of the vibrancy we see today.
Chief Executive
Leung Chun-ying has said he believes in a bigger role for the government in a
market economy.
But if he seriously
treasures
(珍惜) the fashion street that became famous through the merchants'
own initiative(倡議) and sweat, equity (公平) rather than government support, then Leung is best advised to
tell his commerce chief to drop (停止) the thought.
This would spare (免遭)
the street from that dreaded (令人畏懼的) kiss of death.
Mary Ma
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