No public say on equestrian events Town Planning Board won't have input on Olympic projects as taxpayers not footing the bill; lack of openness is criticised.

(From South China Morning Post)

Byline: Chloe Lai

The public will not be given a say on plans to transform part of the Hong Kong Sports Institute to host the 2008 Olympic equestrian events, although the Jockey Club will seek approval for the proposals from the International Olympic Committee.

The Home Affairs Bureau said that because no public spending was involved, the Sha Tin project did not need approval from the Town Planning Board.

Neither did a plan to transform the YMCA Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village in Ma On Shan into a temporary home for the city's sporting elite require board scrutiny, the bureau said.

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