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Letters

Beijing coming down hard for Hong Kong to resolve the housing crisis comes to me as great news. For too long, politicians on both ends of the spectrum dragged their feet on the issue. 
The apparently pro-Beijing camp – where many are among the vested interests, such as property tycoons and developers – never intended for property prices to fall and become affordable. 
Consultations, expert studies and think tank research went on and on, but arrived at no real solutions. Free-market ideology, the US dollar peg, low interest rates and land approval were all just excuses.
The pro-democracy camp also contributed to our housing crisis. They were always critical: blocking and objecting to government initiatives while citing reasons such as environmental protection; blaming the mainland and mainlanders (specifically, the one-way permit scheme that lets in 150 mainland citizens per day); or complaining that they weren’t consulted. 
Electoral reform a time for Hong Kong’s democrats to reinvent themselves
Enough is enough. Beijing was once patient, allowing Hong Kong autonomy to solve our own problems; it did not want to invite criticism that the central government was overreaching its authority. But, just as it enacted Article 23 for Hong Kong when we failed to deliver in the 23 years since the handover, the central government should directly resolve Hong Kong’s housing crisis. 
Both interventions are needed for Hong Kong’s long-term social harmony and well-being. The previous approach – not bringing up the national security law, not intervening in the housing market – proved to be disastrous. 


To ensure no further impediments from either the pro-Beijing or pro-democracy camp, the Central People’s Government should carry out consultation and directly appoint the chief executive. This is totally allowed under Article 45 of the Basic Law. 
The 1,200-strong Election Committee is being expanded to 1,500 members: the additional 300 members should be independent individuals, not representing property, private insurance or the finance sector. More specifically, they should be persons who intend to make property prices affordable and to focus on other livelihood issues, improving public health care, education and social welfare. 
Active government involvement is required to ensure basic necessities and livelihoods for the middle-class majority, and therefore long-term stability – this is what the government of Singapore, for example, has succeeded in delivering. 
Singapore’s successful housing and education policies point to Hong Kong’s real enemy
 With 20 seats being added to the Legislative Council and the number of directly elected lawmakers likely to shrink, the Legco could be perceived as becoming less representative. But if the government and the chief executive can deliver, given less noise and resistance in Legco, and if people can see real improvements, Hong Kong will be seen as a great city again.
Bernard E.S. Lee, Tsuen Wan 






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Opinion


The pro-Beijing camp, stacked with vested interests, was never serious about solving the housing problem
The pro-democracy camp was all criticism and no solutions



The pro-Beijing camp, stacked with vested interests, was never serious about solving the housing problem. The pro-democracy camp was all criticism and no solutions


Legislative Council of Hong Kong (Legco)

Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong housing

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} The pro-Beijing camp, stacked with vested interests, was never serious about solving the housing problem The pro-democracy camp was all criticism and no solutions

The pro-Beijing camp, stacked with vested interests, was never serious about solving the housing problem

The pro-democracy camp was all criticism and no solutions