This is a copy of an email I just sent to AFCD. (Thats the people who run the country parks, for those who don't know).
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This morning I was leading a group from the Hong Kong Hiking Meetup Group to do a "cleanup" of the Maclehose trail Stage 9 as part of our official volunteer activities for Oxfam. We had been told by Oxfam that we could easily take a taxi from the Jockey Club in Tai Tong (finish of the Oxfam Trailwalker event) to the junction of stage 9/10 and then do our cleanup from there - one group moving towards route twisk and the other back towards Tai Tong. Further, the taxi's would then be used to transport other Oxfam volunteers from CP 9 back to Tai Tong.
However, when we reached the barrier gate to the park, the woman manning the barrier would not let us in because we did not have the right paperwork. This was despite us explaining what we were doing; having our official T-shirts; despite us showing her our official badges Oxfam support badges etc. She would not even speak to the Oxfam person we got on the phone in case she did not understand us (although we know she did: we did have fluent Cantonese speakers with us who are quite senior with Oxfam too). Several other AFCD staff were present and did not help.
The purpose of the exercise was to CLEAN UP AFCD TRAILS. We were trying to HELP you.
It rather highlighted in a very depressing way the paradoxes of the Oxfam Trailwalker event: On the one hand, people come together to face adversity and raise money for charity; but that a majority of HK society is rule-bound; rude and inconsiderate to others. Your staff member being in the latter category. I found it extremely depressing and upsetting and it did make we wonder why we try so hard to give back when so many others just don't care at all.
I run a business here in HK, and if a member of my staff treated anyone like that I would fire them. Not just because of the appalling lack of initiative and way their rudeness reflects on your organization, but because anyone so petty and vindictive is clearly unhappy in their job and should be released to find a career that is more fulfilling. I can provide a photo if you need help to identify this individual.
I hope you will improve your staff training so that such an occurrence is not repeated. I would like a reply to this email.
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As I said in my email, I found the incident a hugely depressing reminder of some of the downsides of living here.
Reply from AFCD
Dear xxxxxxxxxxx,
Thank you for your e-mail dated 17.11.2013.
Please be advised that application of vehicle permit from this department prior to the event for vehicle using in Country Parks is required. And driver who driving within Country Parks must need to produce the relevant permit upon requested by our staff (including contractor staff manned the barrier gate) for inspection. As such, it is necessary for the security guard at Tai Tong barrier gate to check the permit in advance before allowing the vehicle to go into the Tai Lam Country Park. For your information, we have issued a set of vehicle permits for the organizer to perform post event cleanup.
Nonetheless, we shall deeply appreciate all the volunteering activities within Country Parks. We will keep communication with the organizers for better understanding of this department's policy.
Regards,
F.L.LI
AFCD