I WOULD like the opportunity to reply to remarks attributed to me and the Better Hong Kong Foundation in Fanny Wong's column (South China Morning Post, March 6), headlined, 'Careless talk that does us no favours'.
The article is based on a report which appeared in USA Today, on February 20.
It is a shame the columnist did not contact me to gain clarification of quotes attributed to me in the article.
In my discussions with the USA Today journalist, which were not on the record, I did state that democracy was a word never heard before Chris Patten arrived. This was a statement of historical fact.
It was not a statement criticising or attacking the premise or philosophy of democracy.
USA Today then saw fit to use the statement out of context.