CE Lee's Proposals to Prop up Hong Kong

Lee promoting a green Hong Kong with his policy address

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu just finished delivering his Policy Address which clocked in at 2 hours, 31 minutes and 25 seconds, which is longer than it took 30 runners (25 men, 5 women) to complete the 2024 Hong Kong Standard Chartered Marathon.

The speech was filled with ways to bump up the economy, from developing the city into an aerospace research hub, cutting liquor taxes, attract more investment from the Middle East and Asean member states, and develop the Northern Metropolis.

Many in Legco wore green in support of policy

There's a lot of unease about Hong Kong's economy, with shops announcing their closures, people going across the border on the weekends for cheaper dining and retail experiences, and not many tourists coming back, particularly long-haul ones who spend more.

So there was a lot riding on Lee's shoulders in delivering this speech which had a green theme, and so many pro-establishment politicians sported green dresses for the ladies, and ties for the men, including the chief executive.

There were concerns about reducing the duty on liquor (priced over HK$200) from 100 percent to 10 percent. Those opposed were in the public health sector, including former secretary for health Sophia Chan Siu-chee, saying this only encourages people to drink more alcohol and will lead to more health problems; however, doctors in the Executive Council agree with the proposal, saying this will lead to people drinking higher quality alcohol.

Meanwhile Lee says Hong Kong should promote itself as an international hub for post secondary education. One way is by offering scholarships to 1,200 students enrolled in post secondary programs, and to entice students from Asean and Belt-and-Road countries to come to the city to study.

Can West Kowloon bring in droves of tourists?

But if many foreign professors have left Hong Kong because of national security fears, how will the city be able to lure students to study?

While Lee wants to promote the West Kowloon Cultural District as a must-visit landmark, and for the area to work with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to get more visitors to the district, the arts hub could run out of money by next year. Its budget of HK$21.6 billion is almost all spent, which is why Lee wants more tourist dollars flowing into the area. However, is the HKTB going to move fast enough to get visitors to the area when admission to M+ starts from HK$120, when it's free going to the Hong Kong Museum of Art...

And speaking of tourism, effective today, travelers going in and out of Hong Kong will no longer have to fill out those arrival and departure forms with pen and paper! Finally!

Gold Bauhinia for Chan

Chan was rewarded for "distinguished service" during Covid-19

Former Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee was rewarded for her services -- during the Covid-19 pandemic we should add -- with a Gold Bauhinia star on Saturday.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu presented her with the award for "distinguished service to the Government and the Hong Kong community, particularly during her tenure as the Secretary for Food and Health", the citation says.

However, she made some serious missteps during the pandemic, particularly in the fifth wave in late December 2021, when so many elderly patients contracted Covid-19 in seniors' homes and the images of them lying in gurneys outside hospitals was severely criticised.

Nip was also given a Gold Bauhinia

That's because of a severe rule that all Covid-19 patients had to be hospitalised regardless of their symptoms, thus resulting in a low turnover of hospital beds. 

Also under her leadership Hong Kong had the worst Covid death rate in the world in March 22 of 6,976 when vaccines were available.

In a recent newspaper interview she also admitted more could have been done to vaccinate seniors in care homes by clearing it with doctors without the need of the family's consent. 

When asked with the Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor administration should apologise to the residents and families of those who died of Covid, Chan said it is time for people to move on.

How can she be so heartless?

Now that she has retired from public life she has dropped all concerns -- and responsibilities -- about her previous job.

Haughey won two silvers at the Tokyo Games

It should also be mentioned that former Secretary of the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen was also awarded a Gold Bauhinia for his public service -- but in his citation there was no mention that he was responsible for the vaccine rollout in the city...

Meanwhile Olympic athletes Siobhan Haughey and Cheung Ka-long were handed Silver Bauhinia each for winning medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Was no one on the Honours List committee informed how tough it is to not only qualify for the Olympics but also compete and win a medal???

Government Honours Loyalty

Lee given the highest award, the Grand Bauhinia Medal

The Hong Kong government has released its 2022 Hong Kong Honours List, and former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor made sure she recognised those who stuck by her through thick and thin.

Most notable?

The Grand Bauhinia Medal is awarded to seven people, including current leader John Lee Ka-chiu. Even though he and Lam blundered in proposing the extradition bill in 2019 that led to massive street protests and stepping up violent police action against the protesters.

Chan bungled Covid response but still awarded

Instead he is recognised for his "dedicated and distinguished public service to the Government and the Hong Kong community over the past 44 years, particularly his sterling contributions during his tenure as the Secretary for Security and the Chief Secretary for Administration," the citation reads. 

"With his strong commitment to Hong Kong and outstanding ability and experience in public administration, he assisted the then Chief Executive in rising to the challenges and played an instrumental role in co-ordination in policy formulation and implementation, making significant contributions to Hong Kong."

Others who were rewarded for their loyalty include: former secretary for food and health Sophia Chan Siu-chee, pro-Beijing executive councillor Ronny Tong Ka-wah, former secretary for education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung (formally he has dropped "Chris"), former secretary for transport and housing Frank Chan Fan, and ICAC head Simon Peh Yun-lu.

Dover led police response to protests in 2019

Another notable person is assistant commissioner of police Rupert Dover, who lead the operations against the protesters in 2019, and Peter Lam Kin-ngok, owner of various restaurants including three Michelin starred 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo, former chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board and now the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council.

On Twitter people were wondering how Lee will award himself his own medal...

Other notable honourees who deserve the recognition include Olympic cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze, radio DJ Reinaldo Maria Cordeiro otherwise known as Uncle Ray, Olympic swimmer Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, and fencer Cheung Ka-long.

Cheung won gold in fencing in Tokyo Olympics

While no date has been set yet on when the actual awards will be handed out, we are still wondering... will Lee just pin the medal on himself?

Health Minister Criticised for Pandemic Fifth Wave Response

Chan shed a few tears in her last meeting with Legco

Yesterday at her last meeting with the Legislative Council, outgoing Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee shed a few tears as she thanked Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-gnor for having trust in her.

When she leaves office on June 30, Chan will have completed 10 years in the civil service, the last few years undoubtedly the most challenging on her career in having to deal with the response to Covid-19 in Hong Kong.

However, many believe she and her department could have done much more, particularly prior to the fifth wave in getting more elderly vaccinated, which could have mitigated the number of deaths during this period, as well as handed out rapid antigen tests and masks to the vulnerable.

Ho criticised government's response to fifth wave

How can anyone forget the scenes outside public hospitals where elderly patients were left there in the elements because there wasn't enough bed space. Those images were shocking and shameful.

Microbiologist Ho Pak-leung called on the government to apologise to residents for its failure to deal with the city's outbreaks.

On a radio show, he slammed Chan for failing to prepare appropriate Covid responses, even though Hong Kong had long been achieving Covid-zero before the fifth wave of the epidemic started.

Ho said Chan wasted time in not getting more of the elderly vaccinated before the fifth wave, which resulted in a spike in deaths. Ho said this taught Hong Kong a "painful lesson".

He called on the current government to issue a formal apology to its citizens or build a monument in memory of those who died during the city's fifth wave.

While a formal apology would be nice, the monument would be overboard... unless for propaganda purposes...

Seniors lying outside hospitals with no space

Yesterday Hong Kong recorded 1,323 cases, and Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection is warning the number could go up to 2,000 soon.

"We are seeing a slow increase, a gradual increase in the number of cases recently and there have been no signs of decreasing in the past few days," Chuang said. "We expect the cases will be going up and may exceed 2,000 in the near future."

But she also noted the number of hospital admissions and severe cases and deaths is stable.

This does not bode well for the upcoming July 1 anniversary... it looks less likely Chinese leader Xi Jinping will come down here for mark the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China.

Does this mean Premier Li Ke-qiang is going instead?

The intrigue continues...

Hong Kong Changes Covid-19 Rules Again

Chan says they need to protect the elderly

Outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said over a week ago that Covid-19 social-distancing restrictions would not change until the change of leader on July 1.

But now with the rising number of cases that could hit 1,000, Lam's administration is saying that from Thursday, those people who patronise bars and clubs should test negative for Covid-19 in the past 24 hours before entering.

Patrons need negative test for bars, night clubs

There have been 350 infections since bars and clubs reopened last month.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee told a daily pandemic briefing that this new measure needed to be taken because the number of cases are rising.

"It is important for us to not allow this spread to go wild," she explained. "Because of this spread goes wild, then there is always the possibility of going into our elderly community. And this is our priority group we have to protect, as we learn from the previous experience of the fifth wave."

How does people going to nightclubs and bars have any connection with elderly people?

And if the government wants to protect the elderly, perhaps it should get more of these seniors vaccinated, because only 27 percent of them are double jabbed. That is an appallingly low number. In Canada people 80 and over who have two doses is at 98.5 percent.

How are the authorities going to protect the elderly by getting bar and nightclub customers to present a negative Covid-19 test? Seems like a massive stretch to solve the issue.

It's so easy to fake a negative RAT result

Also -- has the government thought how bars and clubs would police this? How easy is it to present a picture of a negative rapid antigen test from days earlier -- or even someone else's photo of a RAT?

On Twitter people were sarcastically saying they could make a quick buck selling negative RATs, but it would be even easier to get a picture of a negative RAT result?

It's absolutely ridiculous and at the same time will make bars and clubs suffer even more when they are struggling to climb out of the red after months of being shut because of the pandemic. How is someone getting infected from a bar different from a restaurant, where eight people can sit at a table for hours until midnight?

It boggles the mind...

Mr Lee Goes to Beijing

Lee and his wife Janet are flying to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping

 

Chief Executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu flies to Beijing today on a four-day trip to receive the central government's blessing. Lee's wife Janet will come, along with his private secretary and press secretary.

Like everyone else, Lee and his entourage will have to undergo a strict quarantine for a few days with rigorous testing before they can meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Lee can't see anyone one not on the confirmed list of people.

Xi in HK for 20th anniversary in 2017

During his meeting with Xi, Lee will present his list of candidates to be included in his administration. It will be curious to see who is on it. Yesterday Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee was asked by the media if she would continue in her role in the next administration but she did not reply.

Beijing still can't confirm if Xi will come down to Hong Kong for the 25th anniversary of the handover for fears of a sudden flare up in the number of Covid-19 cases, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. 

If Xi is so concerned about this, how about swearing in Lee now and he'll just take over from July 1? 

But if Xi does come to Hong Kong, it will be the first time in over two years that he has left China since the pandemic began in December 2019. He will also be very well protected with some 10,000 police officers will be deployed and with the national security law in place, the chances of any kind of protest are next to nil.

Lee was sole candidate in elections this month

The Hong Kong government meanwhile is trying to devise numerous scenarios and adjusting Xi's schedule to make it as short as possible in case he only wants to come to the city for a few hours.

It is quite the intense logistics exercise when your boss has numerous demands but you don't know exactly what he wants, and neither does he...

Vancouver Moves from Pandemic, HK still Bickering

Chan says vaccine pass the only way to bump up jab rate

It's been one month since I came back to Vancouver and so far, so good. 

While the sixth wave of Covid-19 here apparently peaked last week, there is no urgent concern about it in the media -- in fact media outlets are tired of reporting on the pandemic and have now jumped on Monkey Pox, a very rare skin disease that was discovered in two patients so far in Quebec.

This is a stark contrast to Hong Kong, where health experts are verbally duelling with the Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee about vaccinations. 

Cowling says vaccine pass can cause hesitancy

Two University of Hong Kong academics, epidemiologist Ben Cowling and assistant pharmacy professor Theo Chan Tak-kwong say the government should drop the vaccine pass, as it forces people to get jabs in order to go to work, and so it makes them even more hesitant to get inoculated.

However, Dr Sophia Chan wrote in an opinion piece in Ming Pao that the vaccine pass was still necessary to build the city's immunity against Covid-19 so that its residents can resume a relatively normal life as Hong Kong continues to strive for dynamic zero -- a goal many experts say is impossible to achieve.

She noted some people may not want to get vaccinated as they didn't see the benefits of it, and hinted they were being selfish instead of thinking of the greater public good. And so Chan said the authorities needed to build a strong immunity barrier to protect people who are high risk from the coronavirus, including the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.

HKers need jabs to dine out, go to movies, etc

But the elderly and those with chronic diseases are the ones who should be prioritised in getting jabbed -- even if it's with the Chinese-made vaccine Sinovac.

During her tenure as the Secretary for Health, less than 23 percent of people over 80 were vaccinated when the fifth wave hit, which resulted in just under 7,000 deaths in March alone.

But honestly it's quite shocking to hear people in Hong Kong only recently getting their second jab, when I am waiting to get my fourth in a few months' time.

Another infectious diseases expert, Yuen Kwok-yung, agreed with Chan, saying the vaccine pass was necessary to increase the number of vaccinations to prevent another wave of infections, unless 95 percent of the population was inoculated.

In British Columbia, it's quite surprising to hear that even though 84 percent of the population have had two doses, it drops down to 52.1 percent for the booster. Seems that many people here have pandemic fatigue and want to move on, while others, particularly the elderly are actively wearing masks on the street and in stores.

Over 84 percent British Columbians inoculated

Companies here are trying to entice their employees to come back to the office, but people are dragging their feet or demanding more days at home, while in Hong Kong it's pretty much expected people return to the office unless they are vaccinated -- another reason not to get jabbed.

And so the cycle continues...