Minutes of Meeting

Board Minutes
AAB/10/2005-06

ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD

MINUTES OF THE OPEN SESSION OF THE 127^th MEETING HELD ON
TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER 2006 AT 5:00 P.M.
IN CONFERENCE ROOM, HERITAGE DISCOVERY CENTRE
KOWLOON PARK, HAIPHONG ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI, KOWLOON

Present:
	Mr Edward Ho, SBS, JP (Chairman)
	Dr Chan Wai-kwan, JP
	Mr Patrick Fung Pak-tung, SC
	Mr James Hong Shu-kin
	Mr Kwong Hoi-ying,
	Mr Billy Lam Chung-lun, SBS,JP
	Prof Lam Yip-keung
	The Hon Patrick Lau Sau-shing, SBS, JP
	Mr Ng Yat-cheung, JP
	Dr Linda Tsui Yee-wan
	Ir Dr Greg Wong Chak-yan, JP
	Ms Lisa Yip Sau-wah
	Ms Heidi Kwok (Secretary)
	Senior Executive Officer (Antiquities and Monuments) Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Absent with Apologies:
	Dr Chan Man-hung, JP
	Prof Leslie Chen Hung-chi
	Mr Daniel Heung Cheuk-kei, SBS, JP
	Prof Kwok Siu-tong
	Ms Paddy Lui Wai-yu, JP
	Prof Bernard Lim Wan-fung
	Mr Almon Poon Chin-hung, JP
	Miss Sylvia Yau, JP
	Prof Yeung Kin-fong
In Attendance:
	Home Affairs Bureau
	Ms Esther Leung Deputy Secretary (3)
	Miss Polly Kwok Principal Assistant Secretary (Culture)2
	Ms Elsa Wong Chief Executive Officer (Heritage)
	Leisure and Cultural Services Department
	Mr Chung Ling-hoi Deputy Director (Culture)
	Dr Louis Ng Assistant Director (Heritage and Museums)
	Mrs Ada Yau Acting Executive Secretary (Antiquities and Monuments)/ Curator (Education and Publicity)
	Ms Cissy Ho Curator (Historical Buildings)
	Mr Kevin Sun Curator (Archaeology)
	Mr Richie Lam Senior Manager (Antiquities and Monuments)
	Mr Ng Chi-wo Assistant Curator I (Rural Architecture)
	Mrs June Tong Principal Marketing Coordinator (Heritage and Museums)
	Miss Addy Wong Senior Marketing Coordinator (Heritage and Museums)
	Ms Yvonne Chan Executive Officer I (Antiquities and Monuments)
	Planning Department
	Ms Christine Tse Acting Assistant Director/Metro

Opening Remarks

The Chairman started the meeting at 5:00 p.m.

Item 1

Matters Arising and Progress Report on Education and Publicity (Board Paper AAB/79/2005-06)

Presentation Session

 

2.	Mrs Ada Yau highlighted the exhibitions on 'Post 97 Architecture in Hong Kong' and 'Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition Hong Kong Response Exhibition' jointly organized with Arch SD and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects respectively.
3.	Members noted the Progress Report.
Item 2  Hong Kong Heritage Awards 2007 (Board Paper AAB/80/2005-06)
4.	Mrs Ada Yau briefed Members on the purpose, background, proposed membership of the adjudication panel, and implementation schedule of the Hong Kong Heritage Awards 2007.

Discussion Session

5.	Major questions and comments raised by Members were summarized as follows:
	(a)	Consideration should be given to invite a secondary school principal in lieu of a professor from the Hong Kong Institute of Education as adjudicator since most entries for the category of Heritage Education and Publicity would come from secondary schools;
	(b)	A representative from the commercial sector is preferred to a secondary school principal on the adjudication panel as Government could involve the commercial sector to raise their awareness towards heritage conservation in their business while the school principal could serve as adjudicator in other educational and promotional activities organized to complement the lauMnching of the Heritage Awards, e.g. essay competition;
	(c)	Could consideration be given to include a representative from prestigious firms like Sotheby's (蘇富比) or Christie's (佳士得), which had close connection with antiquities, on the adjudication panel; and
	(d)	Would consideration be made to tap the resources of the commercial sector as a channel to promote social awareness towards heritage conservation;
6.	Mrs Ada Yau responded that AMO would consider inviting one secondary school principal from the award winners to serve on the adjudication Panel. She added that arrangement could also be made for the commercial sector to participate in both categories of the Awards namely (1) Heritage Preservation and Conservation, and (2) Heritage Education and Publicity. Ms Esther Leung said that Government could consider adding a category for commercial enterprises when organising similar activities in future.
7.	The Chairman requested AMO to consider inviting a representative from the business community or other relevant organisation to serve on the adjudication panel to widen the panel's perspective.

Item 3

Production of Catalogue on Cartographic Drawings of Built Heritage in Hong Kong and Guangdong Areas (Board Paper AAB/81/2005-06)

Presentation Session

8.

Ms Cissy Ho gave a brief account of the background, scope and significance of the joint venture with the Guandong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology (the Institute) (廣東省文物考古研究所) to produce a catalogue on cartographic drawings of built Heritage in Hong Kong and Guangdong areas, as listed at Annex of the paper.

Discussion Session

9.	Major comments and questions raised by Members were as follows:
	(a)	Would this pilot scheme be expanded to produce a series of catalogue on cartographic drawings;
	(b)	If time permits, would Macao be invited to collaborate in the joint production as Government has been promoting cultural exchange between the Guangdong Province, Macao and Hong Kong;
	(c)	Macao, which has done a good job in heritage conservation and promotion, might probably outshine Hong Kong if it is invited to collaborate in this type of joint venture. Alternatively, would consideration be made to liaise with Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to package the catalogue to achieve the dual purposes of cultural cooperation and promotion of heritage tourism;
	(d)	As the drawings in the proposed catalogue are confined to a few types of Chinese Architectures of a small scale, which may not be attractive to tourists, would drawings of different architectural styles and ages, e.g. western style architectures in Hong Kong be included to make the collection more interesting; and
	(e)	It was noted that the catalogue covers a wide range of historic buildings of different architectural styles in Guangdong area but not so for Hong Kong. Consideration could be made to include historic buildings such as LegCo Building, Kut Hing Wai, Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, etc.
10.	Miss Cissy Ho responded that the production of cartographic drawings, as the basis for restoration of historic buildings, would continue and she hoped that a series of this catalogue would be produced by stages. She said that the current catalogue was confined to cartographic drawings of Chinese style historic buildings for which restoration had been completed by AMO. Consideration could be made to include historic buildings of mixed styles and different ages in the next series.
11.	Dr Louis Ng added that the proposal to invite Macao to take part in the joint production had been included on the agenda of the Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting (粵港澳文化合作會議), but AMO would like to start off the joint venture with the Guangdong Province first before extending the cooperation with Macao. He also pointed out that while historic buildings in Macao might have a longer history and looked better, Hong Kong was comparatively better at conservation studies and techniques as proven by the fact that it has altogether won 8 UNESCO Awards for heritage conservation. Hence, Hong Kong and Macao could complement each other in their cooperation. He noted that the present collection was a new attempt to include conservation studies and cartographic surveys of a high standard, which the Institute had collaborated with AMO to produce in the past. If the pilot scheme was successful, it could be extended to produce cartographic drawings of historic buildings undertaken by universities such as Haw Par Mansion.
12.	Mrs Ada Yau said that after finalising the production plan with the Institute, AMO would liaise with HKTB to consider if publication of the catalogue could tie in with their promotional activities.
13.	The Chairman referred to the comments and suggestion made by a reader of SCMP who congratulated the HKTB for providing two new brochures - 'Hong Kong Museums and Heritage' and ' Hong Kong Walks' at the airport and suggested that AMO liaise with HKTB to include the estimated time required for the walks, and to make the brochures available at hotels to promote heritage tourism.
14.	Mr Chung Ling-hoi commented that the catalogue on cartographic drawings might be too academic and professional for the general readers. He suggested that an abridged version with drawings and photos for the section on Hong Kong be produced for easy reading by laymen and tourists.

Item 4

Report on the Work of the AAB in 2005-06 (Board Paper AAB/82/2005-06)

Presentation Session

15.

Mrs Ada Yau reported the major work of the AAB in 2005-06 including the AAB Study Tour to Shanxi (山西), declaration of Cape D' Aguilar Lighthouse and Leung Ancestral Hall in Pat Heung, Yuen Long as monuments, recommendation of 26 applications for excavation licences, establishment of the Central Archaeological Repository (CAR), implementation of the Education and Publicity Strategy under the guidance of the AAB, development of AMO's reference library, Geographical Information System on Heritage and the Heritage Virtual Tour Programme, etc.

Discussion Session

16.	Views and comments raised by Members were summarized as follows:
	(a)	The AAB has done quite a lot of good work in other areas but the number of historic buildings declared as monuments in 2005-06 was considered too few as this was an important aspect of the AAB's work;
	(b)	If the report aims to conclude the work of the AAB in the past term and serves as reference for the next term, it is suggested that the following work of the AAB be mentioned in the report: (i) (Changes in the set-up of the AAB such as the disbandment of the three sub-committees especially the Historical Buildings and Structures Committee which was responsible for grading of historical buildings; (ii) The opening of meeting agenda, papers, meetings and minutes of AAB (open session) to the public to make the AAB more transparent; (iii) The work of the expert assessment panel on selected historic buildings;
	(c)	If the report is to be prepared on an annual basis, perhaps more detailed information could be provided in the form of annexes and
	(d)	As a working guideline for a professional advisory board, would the AAB consider including a target completion date in order to control project progress and to obtain a sense of achievement.
17.	The Chairman responded that he had already requested AMO to liaise with relevant departments and speed up the administrative procedures for declaration of historical buildings, which had been recommended by the AAB. As regards project progress, he felt that it might be beyond the AAB's control. However, AMO had reported current progress on development proposals/cases related to preservation of historic buildings in the Progress Report and would update Members of the progress on declaration of historic buildings every six months.
Item 5 Any Other Business
18.	Before closing the meeting, the Chairman thanked all Members for their support and contribution to the AAB in the past two years.
19.	On behalf of the Home Affairs Bureau and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Ms Esther Leung thanked all Members for their valuable contribution and commitment to the AAB in the past term. She said that Dr Patrick Ho, Secretary for Home Affairs, had personally asked her to convey his sincere thanks to all Members. She believed that the work of the AAB was becoming more demanding and challenging and hoped that Members would continue to support the AAB and Government in heritage preservation.
20.	There being no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m.

Antiquities and Monuments Office
Leisure and Cultural Services Department
March 2007

Ref: LCS AM 22/3