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Walter's Blog

"But how can you live and have no story to tell?" Fyodor Dostoevsky

Reflections on recent events, plus the occasional fact free rant unfiltered by rational argument.

"If you want to read a blog to get a sense of what is going on in Hong Kong these days or a blog that would tell you what life was like living in colonial Hong Kong, this blog, WALTER'S BLOG, fits the bill." Hong Kong Blog Review

27/9/2022 0 Comments

A New Hope

"The relaxation of the Covid travel rules produced a wave of euphoria. A rush to book trips overseas crashed the Cathay Pacific website."

Last week a wind of urgency started to blow away the Covid fog smothering our city. Officials scrambled to tell us they are moving toward ending the draconian and somewhat pointless travel restrictions that blighted our lives. About time.

They could no longer ignore the mounting evidence of damage to our economy, international standing and way of life. After all, the financial secretary reckons our deficit may be a massive HK$100b.

Meanwhile, the true toll on mental health may take years to appear. I fear that children born over the past three years experienced life through face masks with disrupted social interactions. Has this harmed their cognitive development? Time will tell. Older kids are also victims, with their schooling interrupted.

I wonder if the medical practitioners — the so-called experts — who drove our policies see the big picture. Their public utterances suggest some come driven by a desire to stop all risks without comprehending the unforeseen consequences. Hence we still await a complete road map that will remove all restrictions.

One wag suggested, "The upside of the ongoing masking rules is that it spares our leaders from the knowledge that everybody is laughing at them."

Events unfolded pretty fast last week. In a bizarre set of circumstances, the on/off, then on again, Hong Kong marathon, plus a rare public spat between two leading doctors, drew back the curtain. In a testy debate between top medical professionals, claims emerged that 'someone is holding back Hong Kong.'

This development prompted prominent figures like Henry Tang to encourage the administration to be bold and get on with the job. Likewise, community leaders across the whole spectrum called for changes.

A delighted Singapore is a primary beneficiary on the financial services and banking front. As Hong Kong drove human and financial capital away, the Lion City gained ground.

But let's give credit. The Hong Kong government did well in the early stages of Covid, setting the pace for others to follow. But circumstances have changed.

Our vaccination rate is amongst the highest. Our few deaths are confined to the old, mostly with co-morbidities, while Covid symptoms when they hit are generally mild. And calls to get the vaccination aren't working for the few hold-outs. Beyond compulsory measures, which won't happen, officials should relent. Unfortunately for them, the law of diminishing returns kicked in.

On the sports front, event after event is either cancelling or postponing. Outspoken organisers are not being quiet about officials prevaricating, with an over-cautious attitude. A steady drip of stories has made known the frustrations.

Witness the saga of the Hong Kong marathon. The international Dragon Boat contest is leaving Hong Kong, while the international rugby 7's will have few overseas attendees. Trailwalker, a long-distance charity event held out in the open, crossing our wonderful rural areas, isn't happening. Reports suggest officials are dithering with impossible pre-conditions to approval.

Meanwhile, more is coming to light about the scale of cheating to avoid getting vaccinated. The arrest of doctors and patients continues. One wonders what drove medical professionals to engage in such activity. Does greed drive them? One doctor allegedly issued fake exemption certificates charging HK$3000 a time. It's said he cleared around HK$14 million in weeks.

Seeking to defend the profession, senior doctors appeared on radio chat shows asserting the majority of doctors are ethical. That may be so, yet these incidents are unsettling. I'm intrigued to note many of the involved small clinics, located in the poorer housing estates, only take cash payments. When asked to explain this practice in a somewhat cashless society, a senior doctor had no reasonable explanation.

Others hinted at dodgy accounting practices. No doubt, the police will review all aspects of these clinics.

The relaxation of the Covid travel rules produced a wave of euphoria. A rush to book trips overseas crashed the Cathay Pacific website. And yet, what must be recognised is the severe damage done to our position as a business centre.

While Hong Kong's fundamental advantages remain unchanged, our story must be told globally. Fortunately, such initiatives as proposed by former senior official Bret Free seek to leverage our strengths.

He's championing better coordination between officials and the events sector to help drive the recovery of Hong Kong. With such ideas and dedicated application, Hong Kong has new hope.

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18/9/2022 0 Comments

Respect

"The Royal Family are the ultimate celebrities."

As Hong Kong bakes in an unseasonal heat, the air is still, and our pollution levels have soared to new heights. So naturally, none of this can be pleasant for mourners lining up at the British Consulate here to pay respects to Queen Elizabeth II.

Even though the queue stretches into the shade of Hong Kong Park, this only gives marginal respite from the heat as the kiosk makes a brisk trade in cool drinks. One entrepreneur is busy selling battery-powered fans. Typical Hong Kong — never miss an opportunity to make a quick buck.

Mischievous media types can't help themselves, suggesting the queue at the consulate is some fifth-column protest. John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong, has supported this idea. "I would imagine that some people are going there not so much for nostalgia reasons, but as a kind of protest," he said.

Really? I saw no signs of that when I attended for a quick look. On the contrary, a sombre, respectful atmosphere prevailed. Perhaps the protest was at another time, or is the suggestion of protest more wishful thinking than anything else? Because if this is dissent, I'm sure no one is too concerned. Indeed, there was no police presence.

Most of those gathering are middle-aged or older, with a high proportion of ladies. That's not the usual profile of protest groups where a high percentage of young men is the norm.

The mourners did not display any of the usual symbols we saw in 2019/2020. Likewise, the messages left behind spoke of remembrance.

One young female sobbed as her friends aided her through the consulate's doors. The girl was probably in her late teens or early twenties, born after 1997; thus, they likely have no direct experience of the colonial era. Also, I surmise they have no understanding of the monarchy's role. That got me thinking.

It is worth noticing a trait of the local populace that is well marked but rarely commented on: an infatuation with celebrities. Hong Kongers have always had an over-excitable relationship with fame. Attend any concert here, and you will soon see it.

And the Royal Family are the ultimate celebrities. Queen Elizabeth II is a historical figure who symbolises a century, with a presence that transcends borders and cultures. What we are witnessing is much more nuanced than the commentators seek to portray.

Still, Professor Burns is not altogether wrong in thinking that dissent played a role for some. Yet accompanying and subsuming this is a potent mix of other sentiments, all juggling for attention.

All things considered, I'm inclined to think people took an opportunity to pay their respects. But, mixed in with that is a sense of angst that times are changing. The past is secure; the struggles and tribulations of that time are forgotten because we came through, while the future remains uncertain. So, getting all amateur psychologist for a moment, the death of the Queen provides the ideal blank canvas for people to project regrets, hopes and sadness.

Not to let matters drop, like a spectre, one newspaper managed to summon Emily Lau, a one-time politician and morning radio chat-show ranter designed to put you off your cornflakes. Lau seized the opportunity to assert, "Feelings are running high." It's nice to see some things never change; that includes Lau's use of hyperbole. These days Lau can only writhe impotently as the world moves on.

Indeed, the populace is tired of Covid restrictions while worries about the economy mount. But, beyond that, people are getting on with life.

A few thought-leaders have taken the opportunity to revisit Hong Kong's history, noting the role played by royalty. For example, it is said that Queen Victoria was less than impressed when Hong Kong was taken by force seeing no significance in the place. Then again, Queen Victoria led a sheltered life. When asked to enact laws against lesbians, she said they did not exist.

The first royal visit was by Prince Edward in 1922. The playboy prince would later abdicate the throne for divorcee Mrs Wallace Simpson. That act switched the royal line of accession to Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II visited twice during her reign, first in 1975. The record shows that trip was seen as an opportunity to shore up the colonial regime after the riots of the late 1960s.

A second visit came in 1986 following her tour of China as the first British monarch to visit the country. This visit came two years after the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984, which paved the way for the 1997 handover.

Wandering around Hong Kong two decades after the return to Chinese rule, you'll still find plenty of colonial reminders. 'Prince Edward Road West', 'Queen Elizabeth Hospital', and a giant statue of Queen Victoria, to name a few.

In context, the death of Queen Elizabeth II allows reflection on troubled times, the value of stoicism and quiet service. Hong Kong, like everywhere else, needs to pause occasionally and take stock.

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12/9/2022 3 Comments

Is Britain's Winter Coming?

"Is Britain in danger of slipping further on the world stage due to self-inflicted woes?"

Over seven decades ago, a twenty-five-year lady ascended the British throne. All the Empire's splendour adorned the moment, the streets filled with cheering as the music of mass bands echoed across London.

At the time, the country still had the remnants of a large global footprint with military forces to back it up. But, none of this hid the fact that Britain was broke and in debt to the new superpower, the U.S.

The war debt the U.K. owed America was finally paid off in 2006 when the Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls handed over US$83M.

The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accompanying reflection that appraise her reign bring these issues into sharp focus. Is Britain in danger of slipping further on the world stage due to self-inflicted woes?

Without a doubt, Britain's influence as a world power waned during Elizabeth II's tenure. This process was brought forth by the privations of World War II, the forfeiture of the Empire, and, more recently, accelerated by Brexit.

You may not like or agree with these opinions, and while I take no pleasure in expressing them, I hold them true. I claim no unique insight, except the benefit of distance allows me to see the downward evolution more clearly than those who witness it daily. Trips home bring the changes into clear view.

Also, I may add that ignoring what is happening serves no purpose.

For starters, no matter how you cut it, Brexit didn't bring the benefits claimed and may herald the break up of the 'united kingdom.' The separation from the E.U. has dragged down the economy in unexpected ways, with further impacts in the decade ahead. Even musicians now struggle to get gigs across the water, faced with a raft of regulations that previously didn't apply.

Meanwhile, Britain hanging on the coattails of the U.S. is not a long-term strategic option. The so-called 'special relationship' was always one-sided because the pragmatic U.S. saw a benefit. Access to military bases — George Orwell's Airstrip One — and Britain's support on the diplomatic front.

But when disagreements arose between the partners, the U.S. position prevailed. The latest example is the Northern Ireland border, Brexit and the Good Friday Agreement. Plus, changing demographics in the U.S. means the natural support base for the Anglo-Saxon brothers is reducing.

People from South America, Asia and other places with less kinship with the old country will soon dominate the U.S. political scene. This gradual change will impact policy. The U.K. had a taste of this under Obama; he was less enthusiastic about the 'special relationship' except when it helped him. So the long goodbye from the U.S. will continue.

So, that often cited U.S. trade deal, which the Brexiteers waved around to tempt voters, isn't happening. Likewise, the other major trading block, the E.U., has unresolved issues with Britain.

Looking further afield, the rising powers China and India view the U.K. through the lens of the colonial era. In India, that's a mixed bag, a bipolar lingering affection and resentment.

For an emerging China, trade is the focus, with a caveat — don't attach strings dictating how we run our internal affairs. Any attempts to tie trade to human rights will be a stumbling block. Unfortunately, Beijing now views the U.K. as part of an alliance that seeks to hold back the Chinese nation. Banning Huawei from 5G bids in the face of U.S. pressure and other barriers illustrates the point.

Dispatching HMS Queen Elizabeth to sail up and down the Chinese coast on her first world tour in 2021 played right into China's hand. "Here are the British again using gunboats to threaten us," proved an easy sell internally and to other nations in the global south.

It's worth remembering that within living memory in 1926, British gunboats sailed up the Yangtze River to bombard the city of Wanzhou during a trade dispute. Reports tell of thousands of Chinese killed, including many civilians. These things are not forgotten.

So, while China may do deals, these will be on its terms. And as China will dominate the world economy, Britain can ill-afford to ignore this market. That's going to be a bitter pill to swallow.

Within Britain, poor governance, hubris and a stark lack of honesty have added to the nation's troubles. For example, I've documented the shocking state of policing and the lack of realistic planning for energy needs. These examples are emblematic.

Covid and Brexit combined have done significant damage to the British economy. Putin's war in Ukraine isn't helping matters, although attempts to blame all the U.K.'s energy problems on him are dishonest. A decades-long lack of foresight, planning and investment laid the genesis of that bind.

Then look at the 'balance of payments' issue; Britain is running an unsustainable record high deficit. That's why the pound is collapsing. Hence, prices will continue to rise and the options to address this are narrowing.

Peter Hitchens, in 'The Abolition of Britain', lays out the decades-long cultural processes at work. The erosion of the family unit, the undermining of institutions and the decline in values. He notes that well-meaning but dictatorial social engineers seized the institutions to push ugly and ill-conceived ideas.

In fairness, and not to be too bleak, the situation is recoverable if pragmatism prevails. Britain retains many of the best universities, with research capabilities second to none. Moreover, Britain's art and cultural output lead the world, providing soft power leverage beyond measure. Yet, Britain could squander these strengths with adherence to woke dogmas.

It is suitable to also speak about the virtues of the British political scene, which has demonstrated resilience despite its evident weaknesses. We've seen a smooth and peaceful power transfer under the constitutional monarchy framework. Few places can achieve this.

As is often stated, there is something 'inherently ridiculous about the monarchy.' But, then again, look around the world at the many of the most resilient societies — they have a constitutional monarchy. So it appears there is some utility in having such a head of state.

Yet the system's shortcomings in tackling long-term issues are now plain to see. Voters are not prepared to agree on policies that hurt them for the benefit of their grandchildren.

Also, never underestimate the role of geography, which confers advantages. For example, the country remains protected by its seas borders. This natural barrier kept armies at bay, helping reinforce stability. And yet Britain's location places it well to trade with the world, while the climate is mild although the weather is variable.

And what of the immediate future? In her utterances, Truss, the new Prime Minister, doesn't hold much hope. At times her optimism cannot mask harsh realities. She asserts that a 'Global Britain' must stride the world; then attacks France before expressing general disdain for Europe. Gathering pace, she seeks to vilify China and is reportedly lukewarm on the U.S.

She's in danger of isolating Britain from all the significant economies even before the trade talks start. Other clouds darken the horizon to threaten disaster. First, Scotland may go, followed by Northern Ireland, at which point the game is up.

What to do? Britain's leaders need the cold eye of pragmatic realism because many of the choices they face are harsh.

Simply put, it can't continue to fund limping aircraft carriers while pensioners freeze. It can't claim to uphold human rights elsewhere when people at home need food banks. It can't assert to have a world-class health service when stroke patients can't get an ambulance and wait four hours for medical care. The list goes on.

Nor will revisiting past glories, as the nation indulges in hubris, keep the lights on. Sure, celebrate a proud history without letting a misty-eyed view distort the truth.

Future historians may be puzzled that Britain didn't recognise that the track of history changed direction in the early twenty-first century. The era of Western domination is coming to an end. Whether a world emerges dominated by China, India, or a multipolar order takes hold, remains debatable.

Nevertheless, Britain certainly needs to raise its sights to exploit the natural advantages of history and geography.

As King Charles III takes the throne, after the longest apprenticeship in history, I'd argue that the monarchy has a role in redefining Britain. Forget the talk of abolition. The institutions of the state, the majesty of royalty, have all reinforced themselves in recent days; maybe a tad battered, but by no means down. There is no appetite for revolution.

If nothing else, Charles III's mother proved an anchor in troubled times, a rallying point — without the blemish of politics. He must show the same qualities because a chill wind is blowing.

Winter is coming.

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9/9/2022 0 Comments

Knowing When To Go.

"The ending a life by whatever means is always an emotive subject"

High Court judge Albert Wong Sung-hau is a wise and compassionate man. Sentencing a retired electrician to one-year’s probation for killing his terminal-ill wife was the right thing to do.

The wife had late-stage lung cancer, and the husband agreed to assist in relieving her pain, allowing her to pass peacefully at a time of her choosing. She consented to her husband placing a tray of burning charcoal in her bedroom after she fell asleep. The husband was initially charged with murder, but this was later changed to a lesser indictment of manslaughter.

The judge rightly acknowledged that the husband acted unlawfully yet reduced the punishment to the minimum possible without suggesting the court endorsed euthanasia.

Such mercy killing or assisted suicide is a controversial topic. Yet, having recently witnessed my father quickly slide from a strong redoubtable individual to a distraught bedridden soul, I can understand the powerful sentiments the matter evokes. As a family, we wished for nothing less than his full recovery, an option that became less likely with time.

Dad sought a dignified exit, not an ending marked by tubes, adult diapers and crippling brain fog. But, as a blessing for him, the end came quick enough. He didn’t suffer too long.

The ending of a life by whatever means is always an emotive subject, especially for family and friends. And yet, if we accord people true dignity in their final days, surely an option should be there to pick your moment, significantly when the quality of life is severely eroded.

In my Dad’s case, we were briefed on the ‘do not resuscitate’ process, a decision that rests with the medical professionals. The appearance of Macmillan Nurses to make sure Dad was comfortable heralded the final stage. They took charge of his care, displaying an empathic but no nonsense approach that gave reassurance. We were glad to be in their hands.

Whether Hong Kong can move toward a sensible, balanced approach to this issue remains to be seen. We have the longest life expectancy on the planet, yet quality of life remains an issue for many as chronic ailments blight their final years.

What is evident is that the actions of Judge Wong demonstrate it is possible to steer a balanced course. So enacting such a process in law, shouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility.

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