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Letters

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has just released her fifth and final policy address this term. With at least 89,200 people having left Hong Kong for good since June 2020, she failed to address the elephant in the room.
Many people leaving the city cite education as a cause. The problems with Hong Kong’s education system do not need much explanation. Many of us have slogged through the excruciating and mind-numbing journey and somehow miraculously survived.
What is lacking in her policy address is a paradigm shift in education.
The Chinese government has effected groundbreaking reform by amending its Law on the Protection of Minors, which came into force in June. As the newly revised law protects students’ right to play and rest after a hard day at school, the “double reduction” policy was announced to significantly reduce student workload and clamp down on the private tuition industry.
These bold policies seem unfathomable to our proudly laissez-faire government. The chief executive who has earned a reputation as a “good fighter” must not back down on revamping our shambolic education system. Or she would risk disappointing the Chinese government and her people for launching a bizarre patriotic curriculum based on rote learning.
Justin Chan, Edinburgh, UK
Eco-tours will showcase Hong Kong’s diverse charms
I refer to “Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam pushes flea markets, eco-tours in Unesco Global Geopark, as part of tourism drive to develop eastern border” (October 9). I believe it’s a sustainable plan that will boost Hong Kong’s environment and economy.
Eco-tours can raise public awareness of Hong Kong’s biodiversity. Hong Kong is thought of as a concrete jungle and too few Hongkongers find the time to discover the spectacular nature that surrounds them.
Through these green tours, people can get to know, for example, the mangroves and rich marine life in Yan Chau Tong Marine Park. This will encourage more people to realise the importance of protecting the environment and opt for a green lifestyle.
Eco-tours can also add to Hong Kong’s tourism diversity. The city is famous for its shopping and dazzling night scene, and many travel agencies use these selling points to attract tourists. The result is homogenous tourism products. To remain competitive, the industry should develop other attractions to showcase different sides of Hong Kong.
With the appropriate government measures, eco-tourism will flourish.
Natalie Wang, Kwai Chung
Greater Bay Area a huge gamble for Hong Kong
Tom Yam’s letter on Lantau development was excellent and spot on in his argument against the rush to build out the Greater Bay Area (“Northern Metropolis and Lantau housing projects a farce without the necessary people”, October 8). However, it didn’t go far enough.
What is of such great concern to me are the risks we are being made to face with the Greater Bay Area narrative. The Greater Bay Area is a dangerous and unnecessary gamble of huge dimensions with Hong Kong’s reserves – and for what?
Hong Kong had been, until recently, and arguably still is, one of the great financial centres of the world with a market size of essentially more than 7 billion. Occasionally, there has been mention of such a market in your paper, but almost invariably, the articles and references are to the “extraordinary opportunities” for Hong Kong materialising in the Greater Bay Area with its 72 million market size. Huh?
The whole idea of reorienting Hong Kong towards and integrating into the Greater Bay Area, as laid out in the government’s plan, doesn’t make sense to me.
The very real outcome is more likely to be a significant dumbing down of Hong Kong while taking on huge financial, ecological and social risks by building a massive underutilised area.
Stuart R. McCarthy, Causeway Bay
Many issues more urgent than Northern Metropolis
I refer to “6 takeaways from 2021 Hong Kong policy address” (October 6). Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s policy address is believed to be in line with Beijing’s development goals.
One priority is the development of a Northern Metropolis that aims to transform northern Hong Kong into a lively and attractive area, providing more land for housing, technology development and other industries. The government wants to promote the city’s integration with neighbouring Shenzhen through the building of new railway lines, further promoting the Greater Bay Area.
I do believe this will strengthen Hong Kong’s economy. Trade and business will get a boost and Hongkongers will see more job opportunities.
However, is the Northern Metropolis urgent? Definitely not. Hong Kong has other urgent issues it must tackle – for example, poverty and the long waiting time for public housing.
According to the latest statistics, the average waiting time for public housing is nearly six years, the longest waiting period in more than 20 years. Life in Hong Kong is not easy. This is an urgent issue that the government should deal with as soon as possible to provide a better quality of life for locals.
This policy address marks a change in the direction of Hong Kong’s development. However, Hongkongers still have to be convinced of it, as all of us want a better future in Hong Kong.
Cindy Lu Hiu Fai, Kwai Chung


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Carrie Lam policy address 2021

Carrie Lam policy address: where are the education reforms?

Children playing in Hong Kong’s Velodrome Park in Tseung Kwan O on May 13. Why is Hong Kong not following Beijing’s moves to reduce student workloads and crack down on private tutoring? Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong’s future leaders need an education system fit for challenging times

Pupils attend the first day of the new academic year, at Scientia Secondary School in Ho Man Tin, on September 1. The Hong Kong education system has much of which it can be proud. Photo: Winson Wong

Why Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam’s 2021 policy address was unconventional – and does it hint at bid for second term?

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam meets the press after her policy address. Photo: Sam Tsang

The view of Hong Kong's skyline with commercial and residential buildings is seen at Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. 17JUL20 SCMP / Sun Yeung

Tian Feilong, Associate Professor of Law School and The Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences; The Executive Director of the Center for Legal Studies in One Country Two Systems, Beihang University answers a question at a press conference in Beijing on August 15, 2019. (Photo by WANG ZHAO / AFP)

Donald Tsang, HK SAR Chief Executive, holds press conference to meet the press member on his 2006-07 policy address at the conference hall of Central Government Office, Central. 11 OCTOBER 2006.

Opinion


Readers also praise plans for eco-tourism, warn about Greater Bay Area risks and call for urgent issues such as housing to be prioritised over the Northern Metropolis



Readers also praise plans for eco-tourism, warn about Greater Bay Area risks and call for urgent issues such as housing to be prioritised over the Northern Metropolis.


.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Readers also praise plans for eco-tourism, warn about Greater Bay Area risks and call for urgent issues such as housing to be prioritised over the Northern Metropolis

Readers also praise plans for eco-tourism, warn about Greater Bay Area risks and call for urgent issues such as housing to be prioritised over the Northern Metropolis